For the future to come
by nurzubesuch
Summary: Many things will happen after the president pushed the wrong button. Can Ginormica stop a nuclear war and survive? No kidding. Everything can happen. I don t know myself yet. You will have to read to find out.
1. Chapter 1 Momentous Mistakes

**Okay everybody. You clicked to my story that means you are willing to read this. Just wanted to say this one thing: I wrote this because I thought this kind of a story was still missing on this side. And thats all. Have fun reading.**

**Disclaimer: I don´t own anything**

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**Momentous Mistakes**

The conference room of the president was crowded with people. On every seat on the table was sitting someone from the presidents staff. General W.R. Monger stood on its head – if there possibly could be a head on a round table – waiting for the president. And then he came, walking with light swinging steps almost cheerfully dancing.

„Everyone, let´s welcome my new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff." he said. „General W.R. Monger!"

„Thank you Mr. President." Monger said. „What a great way to celebrate my 90th birthday."

„Very good Warren." the president said and clapped his hands singing: „Lets get it started in here." Then he pointed at a small man with glasses over the table. „Nerd?"

The man stood up and started to give everybody a file.

„Gentlemen, I have assembled a preliminary budget estimate for the rebuilding of San Francisco." he said.

When the president got his file he lifted his glasses looking at it as if it would be something very repulsive.

„Zoinkers." he said. „This is going to be a boring one. Good time for a cup of joe. Warren, how do you take it?" he asked Monger.

„Hit me with a double venti organic chocolate brownie caramel Frappuccino, extra hot, with one inch of foam … non-fat."

The president stood up and walked over to the wall with the two red buttons with his energetic swinging walk. „You got it! Black it is!" he said wide smiling and pushed the left button. Everybody jumped up, screaming for him not to do it but it was too late. The lights went off and the alarm went on.

„My God, man!" Monger yelled. „What have you done?"

For a moment the presidents looked very upset. But then he was back in his old, everything-can-be-handled-if-you-have-enough-money-shape and said: „Time to wave the white flag and head for the bunker. Boys, let´s check on the situation in 500 years. Who want´s to freeze my head?"

Monger groaned in exasperation and took out his cell phone. „Give me a minute." he said. „I´ll handle that."

Exactly ten minutes later he was back in the air and heading for Nevada, where he would catch up with his team, the M.O.-1. The name was given very fast (as usual) after the incident with Escargantua in France, to make the whole thing really official. That was now three months ago and the M.O.-1 had reached a certain fame all over the world. It was a fortune that still no one knew where the facility was located, so they were safe from reporters and overactive fans. Today it was also a good thing for public safety, because no one could really know where the missiles would fly.

Monger called in again asking for constant reports. His men told him that Dr. Cockroach was already working on the system of the missiles to deactivate their starting codes and to change the course of them what had already started. Ginormica, Link and the others were waiting on a landing field near Las Vegas just in case he would not be able to stop them all. When Monger´s flier arrived, he found them standing there in a line, watching the sky banned. They turned to him when they heard his plane landing and faced the sky again as soon as he was with them.

„Status." he asked.

„The Doc is working on it but we´re not sure if he´s gonna make it." Link told him with a short salut. „There are far too much of them in the air."

„There are many of them." Dr. Cockroach chipped in over the radio. „But I´m better."

„Were you able to reprogram them?" Monger asked.

„I´m working on it, General." the scientist answered. „This won´t be more than just a moment longer."

They waited on the edge, hoping and praying. Then Monger couldn´t stand it any longer.

„What is it, Doctor?" he asked. „Tell us. What´s going on?"

There was silence a little longer. Then Cockroach was whistling like he would talk to himself. „No." he said. „This can´t be. Come on. Its impossible."

„Doctor, would you please talk to me!" Monger yelled into the radio. „What´s impossible?"

„General." Cockroach answered and he sounded a little embarrassed. „I´m afraid the system of one of the missiles must be malfunctioning. I can´t get access to it."

„What missile? What is his target?" Monger demanded to know.

Silence. Then: „Las Vegas."

Everybody in the group gasped.

„I´m sorry." Cockroach said. „The head of the missile must be deformed or something like that. I can´t do anything."

The group looked to the horizon and far ahead they spotted a moving point that didn´t belong over the unclouded sky of the desert. It was coming.

„Don´t worry, Doc." Ginormica said determined. „This is my job now."

She turned to the big plane that had brought her and her friends here and ran to it.

„Bring me up to that rocket!" she cried for the pilot when she jumped in. The others hurried to follow her.

„You heard what she said." Monger yelled when he entered the plane. „Move it!"

He ran to the cockpit immediately and took his place next to the pilot, who flew the plane up in the air and brought it on the same course like the rocket. Soon after that they could see the missile and another minute later, they were right next to it.

„Bring us over that thing." Monger ordered the pilot and called for the monsters in the back of the plane. „Ginormica. Prepare for the jump."

„10-4." she answered.

„You really think she´s gonna make it?" the pilot asked and gave him a worried look. Monger didn´t answer and the pilot turned around again.

„We have only this one chance." Monger finally said but nothing more.

The plane inched closer to the missile and when it was right over it, Ginormica jumped out. She hit the rocket on the top, struggled and finally managed it to keep her balance. She sat on the nuke like she would ride a horse.

Far ahead Las Vegas came to sight. When she realized how less time she had, she just grabbed the head of the rocket and started to pull. Slowly the missile began to swirl.

Monger and the others watched her from a greater distance. The rocket started to spin now. It bent off just before it reached the city and flew over to the desert. Monger ordered the pilot to follow and he did. But right when their plane changed the course, a big explosion came up behind the horizon, blinding them all.

„No!" Link and Bob cried out unisono. „Susan!"

The cloud of the explosion raised into the sky like a big grey mushroom. Everything was silent. The city was safe.

„Lieutenant." Monger finally said, unusually quiet for him. „Circle over the area. Maybe she was able to get off."

The pilot obeyed but there was a tensing silence in the cockpit while they were searching. They flew for at least thirty minutes without any sign of her and the pilot started to keep telling them that they had to go back because the plane would run out of fuel. Reluctantly Monger gave him a nod. Bob started to cry. Monger turned away from the monsters. There was nothing he could have said to make it better anyway. There was nothing worse than to loose a comrade in battle, he knew that. Loosing Ginormica was a big loss for all of them.

But then Link suddenly yelled: „There she is!"

He pointed down and there, half covered under the dust of the desert, truly was Susan. Her head started to move slowly when they crossed over her. She blinked and when her friends saw that she was all right, they started to cheer, hugging each other. Even Monger jubilated along with them. Ginormica had saved the world … again.

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**Okay guys. Don´t think that is the end. There is much more about to come. Its not over yet ;-)**

**And to all of you that are still with me, thanks for reading. If you would manage it to review as well, I would be very happy. **


	2. Chapter 2 Unexpected Calls

**Okay. To my first and only reviewer Suewe K.K.: Thanks for your kind words. I´m glad you liked it. Be sure that I will upload in regular intervals. If I ever stop, it means I´m dead. **

**Well then. Suewe. This one is for you. Enjoy.**

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****Unexpected Calls**

Susan lay in an overpressure box down in the clinic of area 52. She was in there since they brought her back home after the big crash in the desert. The medical stuff was busy around her to check on her condition. It was already the second shift, that was working on her now and Dr. Stevens, the chief physician was still on duty. He was a military doctor with an experience of medical care for soldiers in two wars. With such a background you had no choice but to take your duties very serious. Dr. Stevens wouldn´t rest until he was sure, his patient was stabilized.

He also had always very much patience for concerned friends and family. Thats why he had allowed the other monsters to stay as long as possible. But even he had had a limit and it was reached after the twenty-second question in only one hour, including the words: `how is she?´ or `will she be all right´? Then he finally had lost his patience and thrown them out. Thanks god he had the power to do that. One more of these questions he wouldn´t have been able to stand. Since then the work was much easier to do. Now the only sound that surrounded him was the beeping of the machines and the muffled voices of his staff that exchanged information and data.

He only left the room to get himself a coffe or to follow a natural need. This time it was a coffe. He was just back, when the door opened a second time, right after he entered. It was General Monger who entered the room. Dr. Stevens put away his coffe and faced him, ready to give him the report, Monger would undoubtedly ask for.

„Doctor." Monger greeted with a nod and looked over to Susan. „How is she?" he wanted to know.

Stevens sighed inside. What a world, he thought. But since it was the General who asked him this time, he dismissed the objection. He took his file and led the General over to the screenplay next to the glass. He read the data that was standing there and compared it with his notes, before he spoke.

„The radiation of the missile still contamines her body." he explained and wrote the new data down. „We extract it through the filters in the box. Slowly, but I expect her to be clean in another twenty-four hours."

„I already know that, doctor." Monger hissed. „What I wanted to know is, how she is."

Stevens looked at Monger. He was confused. What the hell did he want to hear from him?

„I´m fine, General." Susan answered from inside the box. Monger and Stevens turned around to face her. She had turned her head to the glass and looked out – tired but aware of what was going on.

„Vital signs are stable and within normal limits." the doctor went on to explain. It was the only way he knew to answer Mongers question. „Patient is responding to the treatment. Our radiation scan showed no signs of worsening of her condition. Nor any signs that the nuclear radiation infects her Quantonium level in any way."

„He tries to say, that I will be all right, General." Susan joked.

The doctor was quiet unsure about her comment but Monger seemed satisfied. He smiled.

„That was good work yesterday." he said ignoring the doctor. Stevens decided to do him the same favour and went on with his work on another place. Monger didn´t seem to bother.

„Our brain-users and nerds told us that the radiation of the nuke wouldn´t endanger Las Vegas." he told Susan. „The wind didn´t change course so the city will be safe. Good job, Ginormica."

„Thanks." she said. „Oh, by the way. I heard about your promotion. Congratulations."

„I´m still in charge of this facility." Monger answered with a grin. „So don´t think that you will get rid off me."

Susan smiled tired. „I never would." she said.

He gave her a nod. „Just make sure you´ll be back with us soon."

Susan raised her hand to her head for a salut. „Yes, sir." she said.

...

A couple of days later there came a call. Monger was in his office when it came in. His Lieutenant came to him and told him who was in the line. For a moment the General hesitated. Then he nodded and told his man to hold the line, while he walked out.

Down in the hangar the monsters were together, playing a monster version of badminton. Ginormica was out of the clinic for three days now and totally regained her old strength.

It was almost like she never had any contact at all with that nuclear missile. The doctor had called it a medical wonder. Monger could only chuckle about that. What else was a fifty feet tall woman? Doctors were a species for themselves, but he didn´t need monsters under their care to know that.

It didn´t matter anyway. Ginormica was back and everything was the same again. Exactly the way he liked it. When he left his office into the hangar, one of the balls the monsters played with, jumped off the wall and flew right at him. He avoided it with an elegant jump, rolled and stood up again in one move.

„Oops." Link cried and tried to hide the batter behind his back. „Sorry."

General Monger straighted his back and patted some dirt off his sleeve. „Ginormica." he yelled. „There is a call for you. Its your ex-fiency."

Susans eyes went wide and her skin pale. „Derrek?" she asked.

„Thats the name." Monger said straight. „Are you going to answer?"

She hesitated for a moment. Then she nodded.

„I´ll let it patch through." Monger said and went away.

Susan turned to her friends, who were watching her closely. „Would you guys mind …?" she asked. „I would prefer to do this in privacy."

„Are you sure you want to do this?" Link asked. „I mean after all that was …"

„I am sure." she interrupted him gently. „Don´t worry. Everything is fine."

„All right." Link said and shrugged. „Your funeral."

With that they went out and left her alone.

„Here he comes." Mongers voice yelled over the intercom. Susan nodded her thanks and took the huge phone receiver that was hanging on the wall.

„Derrek?" she said.

„Susan." he answered. „Or shell I say Ginormica?"

„What do you want Derrek?" she asked briskly.

„Well, I´m not sure how to tell you that. But I´m going to take you to court."

„You what?" She just couldn´t believe it.

„I was consulting my doctors again and again the last few weeks." he told her. „And the hit you gave me, hurt my back seriously. Maybe permanently."

„I didn´t hit you." she objected angry. „I just flipped you away."

That was just ridiculous. He just couldn´t be serious about that. What was the purpose of that? Did he promised himself more attention from that? The big news broker against his violent ex-fiency? He couldn´t really believe that this would going to work. Could he?

„Whatever you call it." he went on. „It was a violent attack against a famous news broker and my lawyer advised me to take steps against you. You can´t just go around and hurt people." he told her and now he sounded like a school teacher. „That´s not right, Susan. You might have forgotten that now that you are big and strong but …"

„I don´t hurt people, Derrek." she hissed at him when he lost his patience. „Just you. And this call is ridiculous. Good bye."

„Wait Susan, I had to go through twelve lines to get to you. Don´t hang up on m …"

With that she hung up. She slammed the receiver that hard to the wall that the alarm started to beep for a moment. Then it went silent and everything around her was quiet. It was almost too quiet. Something was screaming in her ears. How could he do this to her? She was almost 50 feet tall, she saved the world from an alien attack and from a nuclear fallout just a week ago. How could he possibly still upset her that much? Wasn´t that just ridiculous? It had to be.

Why, she kept asking herself. Why did she still allow him to treat her like that? She should be over that by now. Should have let it behind her. But what did she do? She answered his call and actually believed in the possibility that he wanted to apologize. But no, not Derrek. Not the great news broker. The great face of the new network, the voice of the world, THE GREAT JERK!

Susan clenched her fists and with an angry scream smashed her right into the wall. She left a round pocket in the metal, that somehow seemed to look at her, laughing. Now you hit the wall, it seemed to mock her. And what will you do next? Susan didn´t know. And that was probably the worst of it all. She had absolutely no idea what to do with all that.

„Hey." a usually rough voice, that was now filled with sympathy, said behind her. She turned around and faced the General. He was standing at the guardrail looking down to her. For how long, Susan didn´t want to ask herself. Perhaps it was better to pretend that he just arrived.

„How is it going?" he asked chattily. His gaze told her, that he did see what she had done. Of course he had. If he hadn´t seen it, he would have heard it. The whole base must have felt the impact.

She sighed and then chuckled bitterly. „Perfect." she answered his question.

„So what did he want?" Monger kept asking.

Susan laughed quiet. „He wants to sue me." she answered with a shrug. „Because I hurt his back. Can you believe that? After all I´ve been through, he actually threatens me with his lawyer."

„Simply ridiculous." Monger commented.

That agreement should make her feel better, she knew, but instead it made her even more sad. Why couldn´t she just delete it from her mind? Derrek wasn´t even worth thinking about it. Wasn´t that what her mother always told her? If a guy isn´t worth it, just stop thinking about him. That bothers them the most. So why wasn´t she able to do so? Why couldn´t she just stop thinking of it?

Monger shrugged. „Hey. Look at it from this side." he said laughing. „This guy is a jerk. What did you expect?"

Susan looked at the General and there was a sinking feeling inside of her. It was the same kind of pretended happiness, he showed on the day he imprisoned her. When he had told her, not to see it as a prison but as a hotel, she would never leave because it was locked from the outside. It hadn´t helped her then and it surely wouldn´t help now. She sighed. He meant it well. It was the thought that mattered. She couldn´t blame Monger for her own character mistakes.

„You´re right." she said and sat down. „I know you´re right. Its just … I don´t know." She sighed. „Maybe I hoped that there would be at least something decency left in him. Something … Something that he felt for me. I mean … At least I thought that he loved me once. But obviously I was wrong. I should have known it."

„Yes, you should." Monger agreed a little too energetic. „But better later than never, hu?"

Susan smiled sadly at this. This whole situation was strange enough. How did it happen anyway that she was sitting on the floor of the hangar, close to cry about that jerk Derrek and the strangest thing of all, that she talked about her deepest feelings to Monger instead of one of her friends? Was there anything she had missed? How did she come here?

„Yes." she finally said. „I guess so."

Monger gave her a nod and turned around to go back to his office. His mission was accomplished. The soldier went back to his base. Only that this was his base. And she was a part of it. This hadn´t been a battle, though it definitely felt that way. She was so exhausted. But suddenly she truly felt better. Just a little but nevertheless.

„General?" Susan called after him. He waited, turning around half way.

„Thanks." she said. And this time she really meant it.

...

A couple of days later, Susan and the other monsters left the base to go on their current training walk in the desert. They used to do this since they had formed the M.O.-1. Especially Link always enjoyed these walks. After all he loved the heat and inside the base it was still cooler, because of the ventilation system, that brought the fresh air down to their levels as well as to the higher levels up in the mountain that stood tall over their facility. Monger had granted his wish to heat up his own quarter but the rest of the base was still too cool for him to really feel comfortable. So he always was the first at the door, when it was time to go out. This time he carried something with him.

„What do you have there?" Dr. Cockroach asked when he arrived and tried to look behind the fish-mans back. Link tried to hide the object for a moment.

„Nothing." he said but then he freely showed what he had there. It was a beach chair. „Just something to use the time in an appropriate way." he said grinning.

„Idle fellow." Dr. Cockroach mumbled.

„Hey. Thats what I stand for."

Behind him Butterflyosaurus screamed. He turned around and pointed at him, a happy grin on his face and said: „Exactly."

Susan smirked and shook her head. She felt good and looked forward to get out as well. Only she actually would enjoy the training. It was always a refreshing feeling after the run. It was like going to a sauna and then back into a normal clima. She actually loved the desert. In her youth she had only loved the woods and fields of her home, but now she had discovered the beauty of the desert. It was just great being out there.

Link still argued with Dr. Cockroach about the chair. He was so distracted and selfconfident that he even didn´t notice that Monger had approached him.

When the General addressed him with the single word: „Well?" he jumped. The General smiled suspiciously at him. With a sudden movement he took the chair from Link.

„No sport equipment or other devices from the base for the walks at the field." he stated. „You are supposte only to use what nature offers you, because that is exactly what you would have in a real situation."

With that he walked away, the chair under his arm. Link groaned and got a gleefully look from Dr. Cockroach.

„Of course. As if we wouldn´t go to missions in a big fat plane, with huge missiles in it and … oh yeah … jetbelts." he objected but Monger only chuckled and climbed up the ladder to the promenade level. The door went open and gave their way free.

Before the monsters could walk out, Monger called: „Ginormica. One word, please."

„ I´m right behind you, guys." Susan said and went back to him. He was right at the level of her eyes, now that he stood on the promenade. „Yes?" she asked.

„I just wanted to inform you that I solved your problem with your ex boyfriend."

Susan blinked. „You did?" she asked confused.

Monger nodded. „I called his lawyer and told him gently to stay away from this case. Believe me. He will never bother you again."

Susan was stunned for a moment. Not that she really had believed in big trouble with this court thing of Derrek … but she never would have expected that either.

„Thanks." was all she managed to say.

„Don´t mention it." Monger said with a raised hand. „It´s all a part of my duty."

„Oh. Well then." she said and shrugged. „I´ll go back to work then. And thanks again."

„Dismissed."

She left the base and followed her friends. When she found them by the ravine that was not far from the base, Link was lying on a chair-like-formed rock and enjoyed the sun.

„You know what?" he just told B.O.B. who looked at him confused. „Monger was right. We can use, what nature gives us. Come on, pal. Make yourself comfortable."

B.O.B. smiled widely and reformed himself into a lying position, his hands behind his head.

When Link saw Susan he stood up halfway. „What did the old grumbler want from you?" he asked.

She was about to answer when she realized that she wasn´t sure herself what the answer to that question was. So she just shrugged and shook her head. „I´m not sure to be honest." she said.

„Ah, don´t bother." Link said. „You´re just in time for the beach party. Okay, the water is a little far away. But hey. At least we have the beach."

„Yeah." Dr. Cockroach chipped in. „Just that the real reason why we are out here, is not for being lazy." And with that he flipped a pebble at the foot of Links natural chair. The pebble hit the carrying stone and this very stone went away, sending Link on a sliding tour down into the canyon.

Dr. Cockroach cheered. „A one hundred to one hit!"

Link stood up and rubbed his back. Butterflyosaurus landed on the edge of the canyon and screamed. Link couldn´t believe it. „You too?" he asked. „I thought you were on my side."

Butter screamed again and Link groaned. „All right, all right." he said. As soon as he was up, he was back in his old shape. „Okay guys." he cried. „Lets move. We´re here for a reason. Follow the Link. That means if you can."

Susan, Dr. Cockroach and B.O.B. shared a smirking glance. Then they followed him. They started a hide and seek game, in which Link was the one who had to be found by the others. He made it quiet good not to be found too easy. Though the desert wasn´t his natural element, he understood it very well to use the many crevices and holes to slip away and come out on a completely different place.

Even Butterflyosaurus had his problems to spot him, what made him even more confident. The more it made Susan proud when Dr. Cockroach finally managed it to figure out Links system and could tell them, where he was about to come out the next time. From that point on they changed the game and when Link came out the next time, he was the one who couldn´t find a sole.

„Hallo?" he asked confused. „Hey, guys, where are you? That is not funny. If you just got tired of being outrun by me and sneaked back home, then I will never …"

And in that moment Susan jumped out of her hiding place, scaring him that much that he not just jumped but actually raced to the end of the canyon. Their laughter sounded like thunder between these stony walls.

„Ha ha ha. Very funny." Link grumbled. „I knew exactly where you were. I just wanted to give you a false sense of security."

Susan and the others laughed heartwarming at this. Link sulked a little longer but as soon as Butterflyosaurus tapped him with his wing, he stopped it and agreed to go on with the game. They played for another hour, before they went back to the base.

At this evening when all the monsters were already back in their cells – what were now called their quarters and since they were furnished, they also looked like that – Susan finally had time to think.

Not that she had waited for that to come. It just happened. She was tired but she couldn´t sleep. Not even after that very refreshing training. Too many things were still going through her mind, keeping her restless. Most of it was about Derrek of course. Why the hell should he really try to sue her? There had to be a reason. She just couldn´t understand it. Was he really serious with that attempt? But even if he was, it was not her problem anymore, was it? Not after Mongers interference. And that brought her straight to the next question, that didn´t let her go. Why should Monger do that in the first place? He had called that lawyer but he didn´t had to do it. Why was he doing that? It surely was not a part of his duty. This affair was something privat, what she usually had to handle by herself. There were no rules that would make him, take care of that.

It was so confusing. Suddenly everybody seemed to act strange around her. Even she did herself.

It made no difference how often she tried to look at the whole thing from another point of view. She just couldn´t figure it out. It was useless. She would never find out. Not before she could ask Derrek for his motives or learn to read minds. And none of it was a real option. She surely wouldn´t lower herself down to talk to Derrek again. At least not about such a pathetic theme. The only reason why she would ever allow him to talk to her again, would be to reject his apology. But of course that would never happen. Why should he think that he had to apologize for something? Never ever. Not him.

She let out an angry laughter and suddenly realized that she had clenched her fists again. She opened them and tried to relax her arms. There was no sense in getting angry again. It would neither solve her problem nor answer her questions. Unfortunately they would remain unanswered.

But then another point came to her mind. At least one question could be answered. Of course. Mongers motives were not that hard to uncover. She just had to go to him and ask him. Then she would know at least his reasons for what he did. It was just half of the whole affair but it was a start. It was better than to continue with this endless wondering, that brought her no results but endless headaches. So she stood up and went over to his office.

She noticed too late that it was already eleven p.m. There was no reason for her to expect, that Monger would still be in his office. But since she had nothing else to do, she finished the way. If he wouldn´t be there, she would have had at least a short walk, hopefully to get tired. But when she got there, the lights were actually still on. Through the window she could see the General sitting on his desk. A real workaholic, she thought but put herself into the right place immediately. She was still awake as well and had wanted him to be there, so she could have a talk with him. So she really had no right to judge him for being there.

For a moment she hesitated. He surely was tired as well. Should she really bother him now? With something that was so ridiculous? He would think that she was crazy. But at the end her curiosity was stronger. With the nail of her forefinger she knocked on the window to catch his attention. He immediately stood up and came out.

„Can I help you?" he asked firmly. He barely seemed to be tired.

„I just wanted to ask you something." she said.

„Yes, I listen."

She hesitated and actually had to force herself to go on. „Why did you call Derrek´s lawyer?" she finally asked.

He reacted quiet surprised. Perhaps even a little embarrassed. That was obviously not the question he had expected.

„I already told you." he answered. „Its a part of my duty to keep trouble away from my inferiors. You´re a member of my team. I can´t let a jerk like this spineless toad persecute you with made up charges."

„Oh." Susan was surprised. Not because of the explanation. She was surprised because for some reason it didn´t feel satisfying what he just said. It was the same simple answer he had already given her at the afternoon. But what was wrong with that answer? Why didn´t she want it to be that simple? As if she had expected something else. Only that she had no idea what else it was, that she had expected. What he said made absolute sense.

Now embarrassed herself she said: „I understand. Thank you."  
„I told you not to mention it. It is …"

„I know." she interrupted him. „A part of your duty. But I am grateful. Really."

This time Monger didn´t object. He just nodded at her.

„I wish, I could do something to pay you back." Susan said and surprised herself by saying that.

„That´s not necessary." Monger said and truly kind of relieved her with that. „Believe me. It was a pleasure."

Susan smiled at him and he returned it. For a moment there was a silent agreement between them.

Somehow this little gesture of him had made them allies against this stupid idea of Derrek. It felt good not to stand alone. Not that she felt alone. But frankly, which one of her other friends could have done something like that to help her? Just making a phone call and let vanish the whole thing. It was like a good fairy that granted a wish. Please dear fairy, I wish the charge against me far away.

To the place where pepper grows. And when she would keep her eyes closed long enough just believing, it would come true. But it was no fairy and no magic that made it come true. It was just a human being. A mortal man in a uniform.

Monger straighted his back and said: „If that was all, I´ll return to my duties."

Susan threw a look through the window into his office, wondering what could be so important that he was still working on it, that late at night.

„You seem to have a lot of duties outside your remit." Susan said and walked away, leaving him behind with a puzzled face. After she was gone he relaxed and smiled again, shaking his head in astonishment. She truly was a tough woman.


	3. Chapter 3 Halloweens Aftermath

**Hello friends. Welcome back. Before we start, a short explanation: This chapter starts immediately after the Halloween Special of Monsters vs. Aliens. If you haven´t seen it, a short previously: A flying saucer came down to Modesto and spilled some alien slime (probably radioactive waste) onto a field of pumpkins. The pumpkins mutated and went on the rampage through Susan´s hometown, in the night of Halloween. The monsters fought them back and defeated them. Thats the main event. I think you can follow the rest now, even if you don´t know the details. If you do, the better ;) Enjoy!**

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****Halloweens Aftermath**

„A swirly pop!" the boy in the blue cats costume cried with sparkling eyes.

Dr. Cockroach hesitated. This swirly pop was the only thing that had been able to rebuild his joy in Halloween. Now there was this little boy, that smiled at this peace of candy the same way he had smiled at it once, so many years ago. With a last longing look at the swirly pop he gave it to the boy. The kid ran away and Dr. Cockroach looked after him with an absent minded smile.

„Wow." Link said to B.O.B. „That was so absolutely not our Doc. What do you think? If he was infected by the mutant pumpkins? Perhaps we should test it." He raised his arms with an evil grin on his face and started to approach the Doc.

„You can spare your energy, my friend." Dr. C said in a happy mood. „The boy just reminds me on myself when I was a kid. Hm, the sweet time of childrens dreams about particle physics and bunsen burners."

Link lowered his arms, staring at him in disbelieve. „Yeah." he said. „I´m sure that wasn´t easy for his parents either."

Susan had to cover her mouth to muffle down her laughter. This evening started to get better. Now that the mutant pumpkins were defeated and even Dr. Cockroach had found his joy again, there was nothing that could get wrong anymore. Then they even heard a helicopter and General Monger jumped out to join them after their victory. It seemed to be a good evening after all.

„General." Dr. Cockroach saluted before Monger in a very proud manner. „I report that everything is clean in this city, sir."

Monger saluted back with a satisfied smile. „Very good, soldier." he said, what seemed to make the Doc even prouder. „Dismissed." he added and Dr. Cockroach joined the other monsters in their celebration. He even allowed himself a little joke and jollied B.O.B. by offering him more candy. The blue blob skipped back and denied it. He surely ate enough candy for the next two months. His stomach still rumbled a little.

„Wow." Monger said suddenly honestly impressed by something and went over to the fence of the Murphy house. „Children of the corn. That one has something."

„That was Susan´s favorite when she was a kid." Carl told him proud. „Did your family had a decoration like that too?"

„Decoration? No. But I liked the story. One of Kings best. Though I never was for these young new-fashioned writers. But this guy definitely has something."

Carl and Wendy shared a unsettled look. Did he really call `Children of the corn´ a new-fashioned thing? The film was from 1984. Though it was only the first one in the series but nevertheless. It was a classic and he talked about it like it was one of the last year outcomes. You could say something like that about perhaps Dan Brown but surely not about Stephen King. That was like calling H.P. Lovecraft a writer that followed the flow. He couldn´t be serious with that.

But the General gave them no chance to wonder any longer. He nodded at them and went away. Susan caught an asking look from her parents and couldn´t do anything but shrug. How was she supposte to explain her parents why her boss was such a funny guy? She followed Monger with her eyes, wondering. At the next fence he hesitated again. But this time his surprise didn´t seem to be positive. He seemed suspicious about something and that alone made her nervous. When he was in this mood there were only two possibilities. He was either just paranoid and that would be enough to scare some of the neighbours. Or worse, there was really something dangerous. Perhaps they overlooked one of the pumpkins.

He didn´t notice Susan standing up behind him, when he took out his gun. No, he thought to himself. He didn´t make a mistake. There was something moving behind those bushes. Careful he approached the garden. Not even the group of children that crossed his path could disturb him. When he reached the bush he could hear it. Something was in there. He cocked his gun and aimed.

„General." Susan called for him, afraid he would unwillingly chase some playing kids. He raised his hand to silence her, never loosing eye-contact with the bush. Then it happened. A wild eyed carrot jumped at him, laughing evilly and tried to grab him. He shot and it exploded into green slime. Another carrot came after the first one and then there was a whole band of them. Monger jumped back and started to shoot. The neighbours screamed when they heard the shoots and when they saw the zombie carrots they ran.

Susan couldn´t believe it. As fast as she could she hurried over to help him with the new vegetable beasts. She trampled down at them while Monger was still shooting. He hit two or three carrots that were right next to her foot but never her foot. One of the carrots even climbed up her leg and bit into the fabric of her trousers. He hit this one as well and shot it right off her leg. He was a good shooter.

The other monsters joined them in their little battle and soon it was all over. For the second time this evening.

„Wow." Link commented. „How many different vegetables can one guy stand?"

Susan sighed and knelt down to have a look at her trousers. The damn thing had ripped half of the leg off. Now it was hanging on three last stripes of cloth. With a nerved groan she finished what the carrot had started and ripped it off herself. One of the many occasions when she really was lucky to wear the alien suit beneath. In the desert it was good against the heat – plus of course the fact that it seemed to be almost indestructible. Now it served her as long and very resourceful underwear. She would have been very uncomfortable walking around with one naked leg, even on Halloween. Wearing a skirt was one thing, no matter how long (or short). But a half ripped trouser was not quiet suiting. This way it at least didn´t strike too much.

„I believe the carrots were some sort of an aftermath of the threat of the pumpkins." Dr. Cockroach said.

„Oh really?" Monger replied with a sarcastic tone. „Can you also tell us if there will be some more aftermath, Doctor?"

Dr. Cockroach flinched a little embarrassed. Then he took out one of his instruments. „Don´t worry, General." he said dramatically. „I´ll check this out immediately."

„Oh, my god." Wendy cried. „These are my carrots."

Susan turned around to her mother. „These are what?" she asked.

„I would recognize them everywhere." Wendy said. „How could this happen? I always took so good care of them."

„Ma´am." Monger addressed her. „Do you know, how many carrots you had in your garden?"

„Yes, of course. There were exactly 34." she said.

„Link. Count the carrots." Monger ordered. „We must be sure that we got them all."

Link groaned and threw up his hands. „Why always me?" he asked and went to work.

The next thing Wendy noticed was: „Susan! What happened to your trousers?"

Susan looked down at herself, embarrassed as she always was since she was a child, when her mother had found dirt at her clothing. „Well, ehm." she stuttered. „I … you know I …" but then she remembered how it happened and brushed aside her childish reaction. She had ripped her trousers fighting some mutant carrots, not by playing in the mud. „Battlefield injury." she said shrugging.

Link came back and reported Monger that he had counted 34 green splashes of slime. So they truly had gotten all the mutant carrots. Monger nodded and went away, probably to check the rest of the neighbourhood himself. Susan couldn´t do anything but wonder. Did he come here to celebrate or because he guessed that there would be more trouble? Now she knew what her parents had meant, when they had criticized her only to come home to fight another alien invasion. For a moment she really had believed, the General was here to celebrate.

But was that really so unrealistic? After all he really seemed to come around with them lately. He had hold the monsters imprisoned for fifty years and he undoubtedly had also treated them like prisoners. But now he was treating them like real soldiers that he had under his command and sometimes even a little like friends. At least as much as a man like him was able to do that, she added with a silent smile.

Then she realized something she had missed until now. Fifty years he had been the warden of her friends? But he surely didn´t look that old. How could he …? No. That had to be a mistake. Surely she had gotten something wrong. But did she really? It seemed so unlikely.

At the end it was the same thing with her as always. She couldn´t stand the fact that there was something she didn´t know. So she stood up and looked around until she found Dr. Cockroach. He would know. When she found him he just switched off his device, with what he had scanned the area.

„Doc?" she addressed him, with a checking look around if Monger was somewhere close. He wasn´t. „How is it going? Did you find something?"

„Nothing." he said. „I believe we can be sure that the neighbourhood is safe now."

„Great. Ehm. One other thing."

„What is it, my dear?"

„I was just thinking." she said. „About Monger. How long do you know him?"

„Why, since he captured me. That was … wait … 1962. Shortly after my … well, accident."

„But the facility exists longer than that. I think I remember him saying, that they opened it in 1950."

„Yeah, thats right."

„So then he is … how old?"

Dr. Cockroach was about to answer when he realized that he didn´t know it. He started to count.

„Well, assuming that he finished his training with somewhat around twenty … and when I met him the first time, I guess he was in his thirties or something … God in heaven, then he would be between eighty and ninety now. That is impossible." He thought again. Then he decided: „I´ll ask him." and was about to run away when Susan hold him back.

„No." she almost shouted. „No, don´t do that. I ehm … I don´t want to embarrasse him. I was just curious."

„But, Susan." Dr. C insisted. „When he is really that old … no that can´t be. A human being this age would show much more signs of age than he is. There must be an explanation for the absence of these signs."

Susan shrugged. „Healthy food?" she suggested with a smile.

„No, there must be another reason." Dr. Cockroach mumbled enthusiastic, completely missing her helpless joke. „Don´t worry. I´ll find out." he foretold.

Susan felt kind of guilty that she had put that bug into the Doc´s ear (sorry for the pun). Now he wouldn´t rest until he found out Mongers secret – if there was one and suddenly that seemed very likely. The thing was, Susan was not sure if it was a good idea to uncover that secret – or if she even wanted it. When she looked up to the sky she saw a shooting star and immediately closed her eyes wishing on it that her action wouldn´t cause any damage to anyone. She didn´t see the same star rising again, leaving a thin firetrack for a moment and then vanishing into the distance. When she opened her eyes again, there was nothing else but the clear starry sky.

...

Dr. Cockroaches research brought out that Monger was born in 1920 and that his actual age was exactly ninety. There was no reference to any doctor he had visited ever since his time at the military academy or that he even had the slightest cold since that time. Dr. Cockroach managed it to steal … means to borrow, a scanning device what the doctors had used to scan the radiation in Susan´s body. He changed a couple of parts in it and enabled it this way to scan the cells of the human body a little better than it could before.

He scanned Monger secretly without him noticing it. It told him that the General was completely healthy, and in a condition like someone that wasn´t older than forty. Half the age he really was.

„That proves it." he said in his over enthusiastic mad scientist way. „I knew it! Muhahahaha … sorry."

„What did you know?" Link asked nerved.

„These datas can be explained only in one way."

„And that would be?"

Dr. Cockroach gave them all a conspiring look. Then he said: „The General is a mutant."

Everybody immediately started to talk in an utter confusion, argueing against it.  
„You can´t be serious." Link said.

„That´s Monger we´re talking about." B.O.B. agreed and even Butterflyosaurus screamed into the argument.

„Are you sure that thing isn´t just malfunctioning?" Susan asked.

„No it isn´t. And I´m absolutely serious. Think about it, Link. We know Monger for fifty years. He hasn´t changed a bit since that time."

„Thats not true. His hair is grey now." B.O.B. pointed out.

Dr. Cockroach was defeated for a moment. Then he shook his head. „But that is the only change." he reminded them. „Look here. His file says that he is ninety years old. A normal human this age would already live from chicken soup only. But Monger … He is still in charge. He still runs this facility. He is jumping out of planes, riding a big mutant butterfly like it would be nothing and you really think that he is normal? Ha!"

There was a thoughtful silence until B.O.B. said: „He has a point."

„Well, yeah okay." Link said waving with his arms. „But what do we do with that now? Hm? Did you think about that too, genius?"

„Well, we …"

„Exactly." Link interrupted him before he even had the time to start. „If we go public with that, he is out."

It was obvious that this thought truly was new for Dr. Cockroach. After his spectacular discovery he had been too enthusiastic to think of anything else. Just like every scientist. Now he stood there with hanging antennas and played nervous with his fingers.

„Perhaps worse." Susan added to Links forecast. „They could decide to court-martial him, because he lied to them for so long. Pretending to be something that you´re not and becoming an army officer based on that lie … That is a crime."

„Right." Link agreed. „I don´t know how this is with you but I … You know. Somehow I got used to that guy. I wouldn´t say that I like him. But I don´t wish him away either."

„Me neither." Dr. Cockroach admitted mumbling. He was very upset now and looked to the ground. „You are right. Perhaps it is better … to drop all this and let it be."

„Dropping what?" asked a rough voice behind them. The sound of a closing door followed.

The friends spun around, caught in the act and Dr. Cockroach tried to hide his scanner behind his back.

„Ehm, nothing, General." Susan tried to lie. „We were just discussing, where to go for the weekend."

„Really?" B.O.B. asked. „I thought we were discussing the mutation of Mong …" The rest of the word was muffled because Link shut his mouth with the table.

„What did he say?" Monger asked.

„Nothing." Link said. „Don´t listen to him, he is hungry and when he is hungry he talks only crap. Here B.O.B. Eat something." and he pressed the table harder against B.O.B.

„Let him go." Monger ordered. Link obeyed reluctantly. Fortunately B.O.B. decided to remain silence after that. Monger made some steps towards them. He watched them closely and suspicious. Then he turned to B.O.B. with a wide smile.

„B.O.B." he said warmly. „What did you just say?" He talked to him like he would talk to a child.

No one dared to breath. B.O.B. looked around unsure, then back to Mongers smiling face. Link and Dr. Cockroach shook their heads behind Mongers back and Susan tried to show B.O.B. to be silent, too. Then there was the smiling General again, that waited for his answer. B.O.B. started to cry.

„Oh, I can´t stand this pressure!" he cried. „I´m sorry. General. I´m so sorry." He grabbed the Generals collar and shook him.

„Its all right B.O.B." Monger said sweetly. He wasn´t even confused the slightest by B.O.B. shaking him. „Just tell me, what you said before." he asked him.

B.O.B. looked around to his friends one more time. But they already knew it was useless and only waited for the big bang. Finally the smiling face of Monger defeated him.

„We found out that you are a mutant." he cried out and ducked like he would expect Monger to hit him.

But Monger did nothing like that. He just stood there. Stunned. Not moving. No one dared to say a word. Susan exchanged glances with Link and Dr. Cockroach. They all were tensed, waiting for what Monger would do. He looked at every one of them, with a checking gaze. It was like he would ask them, if they were really serious or just making a bad joke with him. He didn´t say a word. Finally, after he had halted and silently thought for a moment, he turned around.

„Dismissed." he said and walked away. He sounded somehow tired.

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**Okay. For everybody who has noticed: I admit that I took the freedom to do some advertisement for a couple of writers at the beginning. (inspired by Carl Murphy´s very interesting Halloween-decoration) They are all very good and if you are interested in reading some good books, I can only encourage you to check them out. **

**And thanks for reading my stuff. Leave some review. **


	4. Chapter 4 The Generals Secret

**Hello friends. Suewe ;-) Hope you are not burried under the snow by now. Well, here is something to warm you up.**

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**The General´s Secret**

The monsters were in the desert. They had gathered at the edge of the canyon in what they used to do their training games. Though today they didn´t play at all. They were just standing there, unsure what to do. Monger had send them out. The Lieutenant he had send them to deliver this very message, had not given any explanation. Only the order to go out and do training as usual. Now they were waiting for each other to start the conversation. It was B.O.B. who finally broke the silence.

„What is going to happen now?" he asked like there could possibly be some mystery to be solved.

The others sighed somehow relieved but also still worried.

„Thats exactly what I say." Link started and threw up his hands. „Why are we here anyway? Is Monger trying to pretend, that nothing ever happened?"

„What happened?" B.O.B. cried worried. Link ignored him. He said: „I mean … He can´t be serious with that, can he?"

Susan looked into the distance, without any reason at all and suddenly spotted something flying that approached them. „I don´t think he is." she said.

The others looked the same direction. When they spotted Monger they grew silent again, waited for his arrival. Susan instantly checked the area behind Monger, if there was someone else coming along with him. But there was no one else. Just him. Suddenly she felt that she started to sweat, even in her cooling extraterrestrial suit. What was about to come now? Monger landed in front of their little congress and switched off the jetpack. He seemed contemplated.

„General." Susan greeted unsure.

He gave her a short look and stepped forward. His feet shuffled a little in the sand of the desert.

„Monsters." he said. „I need to have a talk with you."

Dr. Cockroach, Link and B.O.B. shared a glance. They all thought the same thing. The Doc opened his mouth to say something but then changed his mind and closed it again. They would wait for Monger to start. And he did. He said: „Listen. I never was someone for difficult words so I come straight to the point. You figured out that there is something … strange about my age."

„We didn´t mean to upset you." Susan interrupted without being able to stop herself.

He looked at her puzzled. Then he lowered his gaze. His feet were shuffling again.

„I just need to say … you´re right." Now he finally looked up. His gaze was the gaze of a man that was ready to face his judge. „You are right." he repeated. Nothing more.

After a while of silence, Dr. Cockroach asked: „But … why did you never tell us?" Then he thought about it and added: „Okay. I can imagine why you didn´t. But … I mean …Well …"

„I think, what he means to say, General, is …" Susan took over to save the situation from getting too embarrassing. „We are sorry … that we had to find out this way. I´m sure you would have told us one day on your own conditions."

Monger looked at her with a mixture of disbelieve and gratefulness. Then he nodded but lowered his gaze again. In this moment he was so less the General they knew than he had ever been before.

„I doubt that I ever would have told you." he said. „The reason why I came out here today is … I need to know what you plan to do with your knowledge. And if I should prepare to step back."

Now it was them that looked puzzled. „Stepping back?" B.O.B. asked. „Why? Do we smell or something?" he whispered.

„B.O.B., please." Dr. Cockroach said uncomfortable. He turned to Monger. „General … you don´t need to fear anything from us."

„Yeah, we … already agreed not to tell anyone." Link explained.

„We came to the conclusion …" Dr. Cockroach added with a switching look from one of his friends to the other, like he would search for confirmation. „… that we like to let things remain the way they are."

Monger stared at him. He was too stunned to say a word, quiet like he had been the day before. At last Susan leaned down a little and addressed him carefully. That finally woke him up and he looked around from one to the other.

„I don´t know what to say." he admitted.

The monsters smiled. „No need to say anything, General." Dr. Cockroach said. „Everything is the same."

Monger nodded. „Well, then … I suppose its better to go back to work." he said.

A general relief was the result of these words. The monsters smiled and looked at each other with a certain happiness.

„Well, what are you standing here?" Monger finally yelled in his old mood. „Back to your training, monsters."

„Sir, yes sir." the monsters answered unisono, saluting to him. He returned the salut with a wide grin. Without saying another word, he activated his jetpack and flew back to the base. His base.

...

That evening when Susan was on her way back to her quarter, she spottet Monger on the promenade level. He undoubtedly was on his own way, to whatever his target might be. Probably back to his office after he finished some business around the base. It was only seven and it was likely that he wasn´t completely finished yet.

Strange, she thought. That he even was able to focus on his work after all that had been today. She wouldn´t be, that was for sure. The only thing that she would be able to think of would be the future. What would happen now? Would it change her (if she would be in his place) relationship with the monsters? What could happen if one of them had a slip of the tongue in front of the wrong person? Things like that. He didn´t seem to bother about that at all. Did he?

She hesitated a moment. Then she saw him stopping just before the railway turned around the corner. He touched the handrail and leaned over it, looking into the distance. Thinking. He hadn´t noticed her, yet.

Susan wasn´t sure anymore. Perhaps she misjudged him again. He was troubled after all, there was no denying. She sighed and went over to him. She had no idea, what she wanted to say. She just felt that she owed him some more words of apology.

„Sir." she addressed him.

He jumped a little when her voice broke the silence.

„Ginormica. I didn´t hear you coming."

„I just … wanted to say, sorry." she said.

„There is no need for that." he assured her.

„But there is." she insisted. „I was the reason, why the Doc started the research on you in the first place."

„Why you?" he asked puzzled.

„I asked him about your age." she admitted. „I was just wondering." she hastily added. „You didn´t seem like someone that is over fifty … thats why I was startled. I just couldn´t understand and so …"

„And so, curiosity was stronger." he finished the sentence for her. He nodded like someone who was used to hear things like that. And he probably was.

She smiled and bit her lower lip. Monger couldn´t help but smiled at this. He knew he was right. Of course he knew. Susan wasn´t the best pretender, when it came about hiding the truth.

„If I just could do anything to make this right." she said. „I mean … I know that it isn´t easy suddenly to be so exposed." She chuckled and opened her arms to show herself. „How couldn´t I?" Then she stopped laughing and became serious again. „Sure there is nothing I can do for you?" she asked. „A favour perhaps? I still have to pay you back that you safed me from that court." She smiled and then laughed. „Wow. I actually owe you more than I thought myself."

„Its all right." he said. „Don´t worry about that. I don´t call in my favours. Not that way." he added, leaving open which way he meant exactly.

He looked into the distance again, only this time he smiled slightly. Susan just waited. She couldn´t stop herself but suddenly had that picture in her head about Monger as the Godfather, who collected his favours years after with a phone call and a very very husky voice. A giggle was about to start in her, when she suddenly noticed the Generals face. He seemed to think about something. Like he just had had an idea. He looked at her, hesitating. She gave him an asking look, encouraging him to talk.

„Well." he finally said, rubbing his neck. „Perhaps there is something you could do, to do me a favour."

Susan couldn´t help but thought: The Godfather has spoken. She bit her tongue to stop the laughter.

...

Susan climbed up the mountain that was above their base. When she reached its top, she sat down on the edge, her legs dangling over the ground. Monger already had been waiting for her there. He had flown forward with his jetpack. Now they were sitting there next to each other.

„What is it?" she wanted to know. He had asked her to follow him up here. Now she expected something that she was supposte to do for him. Though she had not the slightest idea what it could be. Moving a big rock? But for what reason and purpose? No that couldn´t be it.

„I just wanted to show you this." he said with a motion of his hand, that included the whole area. „Did you ever see the sunset in the desert?"

Susan blinked in stunned surprise. „Actually yes." she said. „Since we are here and … you know, no longer imprisoned … I´ve watched the sunset several times out here."

„But I´m sure you never saw it from this point of view." Monger continued without any doubt. „Look at this."

And she did. It was a gigantic view. Even with her new size, she was amazed by the height they were at. It looked like she could see into eternity. Like the sky would be endless and the horizon so far ahead that someone could doubt there would be something else beyond this desert. It was almost like standing on the highest point on earth.

„It is beautiful." she said.

„All this will be yours one day." he said. „Everything the light touches."

Susan looked at him puzzled. He kept a straight face for fife more seconds, then he grinned and burst out into laughter. „Sorry, I couldn´t resist." he chuckled and wiped a tear away from his eye.

Susan blinked in surprise. But it was a positive form of surprise. She never had expected Monger to show sense of humor. Especially not such a hilarious kind of humor. Just when you think you have a guy figured out … he starts to quote from Disney films.

„Why did you bring me up here?" she asked him gently.

He shrugged. „Well, I just wanted you to see this." he said. „You asked me, what you could do for me. Now that was it."

He straighted his back and looked out into the distance, keeping his eyes strictly away from hers. His face was straight and motionless. Susan understood and smiled warmly at him. She was sure he knew it, even if he didn´t look at her.

„Thanks." she whispered, almost as if she was afraid that she could disturb the moment by speaking too loud. „Thanks for sharing this."

For a moment his face softened. But only for a moment. They sat there for a while until he broke the silence again.

„I wasn´t born with it." he suddenly told her out of the blue. Susan knew immediately what he was talking about.

„Your mutation." she said.

He nodded. „It was like with most of you monsters. An accident."

Finally Susan understood. So that was the reason why they were here. So he could tell her his story. He probably wasn´t a man that could talk about something that personal just like that. He obviously had first needed to create a situation he could control. By bringing her up here, he had been able to do that. Or, she added, he just had to make sure, no one else could listen in. All right then, she thought. The General needs a counselor. So it may be. I´m Ginormica. No reason why I shouldn´t be able to extend my job description in this facility.

„What happened?" she asked, ready to take the role of the therapist. Imagining Monger lying on a couch almost made her giggle again. But then he started to talk and the laughter died. Something in his face made her listen attentionally.

„It was … when? 1939? Something like that. I was still at the military academy. I shared my room with a guy named Frank Donahue. He was a little lab crack. In a matter of fact, he was a lot like our friend Dr. Cockroach. Always in the lab, always searching to find the one big invention. His baby was a substance that he tried to create to make some sort of Captain America out of our soldiers. I believe he read to many comics."

„Did he test it on you?" Susan asked carefully.

Monger started to laugh. „My god, no. Do I look so stupid? No no. As I said, it was an accident."

His smile faded and he looked into the distance like the memory alone was enough to let it happen again in front of his eyes.

He said: „I can´t remember what it was exactly. I never found out. I only know that there was smoke crawling out under the door of his lab, when I came there. I ran in and everything was burning. I believe something exploded. There were splinters and fragments of glas all around the table. Frank was lying right in the middle of all this. Unconscious. I ran to him and grabbed him to get him the hell out of there. I´m not sure how it happened but, in that moment, I cut myself on one of those glas splinters. It cut my hand and for a moment, I saw that there was a green liquid in the wound. But I had no time to think about it, so I took Frank and brought him out. Though I forced myself to focus on Frank and not that tiny little cut of mine, I can remember it vividly. Even now." He raised his hand in front of his eyes as if he really could still see it. „When he was in the clinic of our base and the doctors took care of him, a nurse asked me about my hand. I noticed that the liquid was gone but the cut looked awful. She bandaged it and that was all I had to think about that." He sighed mutely. „An hour later I learned that Frank didn´t make it. He was already as good as dead, when I got him out."

„I´m sorry." Susan said quietly.

Mongers face showed a lot of regret. He never looked up at her.

„So that substance … it went into your bloodstream." she came back to the point.

Monger nodded. „After Franks death, I packed his stuff to send it to his family. While I did this, I found his files in his locker. I started to read them. I can´t even tell you, why I did this. I surely didn´t look for some secret in there. I just … I never was very interested in what he was doing in his lab. I always laughed about it and called it crap. Just fantasies that would never come true. He was never offended by that. It was the way we treated each other. But suddenly … when I had these files in my hand … I felt guilty."

He hold his hands in front of him like he would hold a file right now. Susan wasn´t sure if he even was aware about it.

„I never listened to him." Monger went on. „Never gave his ideas a chance. Reading these files was like reading the last letters of him. Letters in which the beloved dead had written the last truth from the depth of his heart. The kind of thing you never hear from him as long as he lives and everything is all right."

Susan felt a tear rolling down her cheek and wiped it off.

„It wasn´t easy to read them but I did." Monger told her without noticing it. „I read them all. And on the last page I found something … well, rather shocking. It was the file about his Captain America Project. Thats what he called it. There were uncountable pages with notes about his tests. All failed. But on the last page, very much at the edge of the paper, there was a note, that seemed to be very new. I still remember the words as vividly as I remember the cut in my hand. They said: `Original experiment failed. Success on other level. Spontaneous regeneration of cells. Have to test it again tomorrow. Memo: Don´t forget the note with the formular. I think, I truly found the fountain of youth´."

Susan gasped in silence. „What did you do?" she wanted to know.

„I burned the note." Monger said. „Not to save my secret. And though I always tried to convince myself that I did it, so that none of these guys in the government would get crazy ideas … I think the real reason why I did it was ´cause I thought with burning the paper, I could also delete my memory of ever reading that words."

„You were afraid." Susan understood.

„It scared the living … out of me." Monger said smirking. „But after the funeral … and since there was no effect on my health or anything that was worth to be noticed … I actually could forget about it. At least I didn´t think of it that often anymore. But like every dark secret … you know. They always come back to you. I was reminded on it again and again. Especially when people told me, how young I looked for my actual age. When I was in war I got wounded several times, but my wounds always healed much faster than they should. The M.A.S.H. doctors called me the Lucky Lieutenant." He smirked and then shrugged. „Then on a certain day, I just knew it. It was no special day or anything. It was just about time, I think. Maybe its true and there _is_ a time for everything. And that was my time to accept that I was …"

„Different?" Susan offered. He looked at her surprised. Then he smiled.

„Yes." he said and lowered his gaze again. „After that I was worn out. I wasn´t sure about myself anymore and if I still could serve my country, knowing about what I was. Knowing that I could only stay in duty when I kept lying. I asked for vacation and went on the road. At least I planned to."

„What happened?"

Mongers face softened. „At the station, I meet a young woman." he told her and also his voice had gotten much softer now. „Elisabeth Walker. It was just coincidence that she was there. She smiled and we started to talk. For some reason that …" he shrugged. „I don´t know. It made it better somehow. She would just listen, you know. She was so lively and innocent but also wise in her own way."

„She became your wife." Susan guessed. He nodded.

„One year later. She was the only person I could ever talk to about everything, without being afraid she would call me crazy." he laughed and Susan smiled in sympathy.

„Did you tell her about your condition?"

He nodded again. „Before we got married. I wanted her to know before … you know."

Yes she knew. Oh, how she knew what he meant.

„She accepted it. She always understood those things. She also understood, that I had to take over the command of Area 52, even if it meant that I couldn´t come home very often. She understood, why I had to."  
„Because you understood the monsters."

He nodded. Susan sighed mutely. He had had a person that was willing to understand. To accept the one thing that was almost unacceptable. That he was something … different. Lucky him. She never had known that herself. It wasn´t meant to be. Not for her. For a moment she had to fight the feeling of jealousy and anger, because he had been so goddamn lucky while she had had to face rejection and treason. But then she remembered what he had been through and the bad emotions went away. It wouldn´t be fair to be mad with him, just because he had had a wife that loved him.

She thought for a moment. Then she said: „You talk about her in the past."

„She died twenty-two years ago." Monger said. „On a Saturday in 1983."

„I´m sorry." Susan said. He didn´t answer. Then she said: „You still love her."

„I still miss her." Monger corrected in a very sad tone. „I miss the talks we had. I´m not sure if you can love a dead person." he added.

„I believe you can." Susan said. He looked up in surprise and that was the moment when she realized, that she had actually said it loud. „Ehm, and you never married again?" she hastily asked to get over that embarrassing moment.

Monger chuckled. „When you work in a place that is so x-file like this, you don´t meet a lot of women that are not carrying weapons or rings … or both."

Susan understood. This time she knew, she was about to say it loud. But this time she did it willingly. She asked: „Are you lonely, General?" but in this very moment, Monger stood up and rubbed his hands. „I start to get cold, don´t you?" he said. „Time to go back inside."

He started his jetpack and led the way. Susan wasn´t sure if he even had heard her last question.

On her way down the mountain, he remained at her level. It was already dark and Susan had her problems seeing where she had to grab the rocks. On a certain point she actually slipped. She was able to catch herself but her heart pounded hard against her ribcage. Monger was with her immediately.

„Careful." he demanded. „We don´t want you to hit the roof of our hangar."

„Don´t worry." she said. „I won´t hurt it."

„Good." Monger stated. „Because the sand cover is pretty new." With that he flew forward to the door that was right beneath Susan now. She watched him land and smiled. That man would never change, would he?

She reached him when he already had entered the code into the keyboard and the door opened. When they entered the facility, Susan spotted the big clock and learned that it was already close to midnight. God, she hadn´t even noticed how long they had been sitting up there. Now they walked side by side – she on the floor and he on the promenade level, silent all the way. When they passed his office they stopped for a moment.

„More work?" she asked him.

„No, I just … I just want to check on something, before I go to my quarter."

She smiled and nodded. „Well." she said. „That was nice." Some softer she added: „Thank you."

„I have to thank." he said straighting his back again.

Susan shrugged. „Perhaps we could do that again." she suggested.

Monger hold her smiling gaze with his straight one for a moment. Then he raised his chin and said: „Perhaps."

She bowed over to him and placed a kiss on his cheek so fast that he couldn´t do anything against it. She wasn´t even sure why she did it. It just happened. He frowned and looked at her in surprise. She was smiling at him like a playful child. But when their eyes met, her smile faded. Slowly she inched closer again and before any of them even knew what happened, he had touched her face and they kissed softly. His lips were much smaller on hers of course, but it didn´t matter. It felt just right anyway. For a moment it didn´t even matter, that she was 50 feet tall and he her General. In that moment they were just two people that did what their feelings told them to do. But the moment passed by and as soon as they realized what they were doing, they broke off and stared at each other in shock. The silence between them was tensing. None of them knew what to say. Finally Susan made herself to brake the silence. She said: „I think, I better go now."

He didn´t answer. Perhaps he couldn´t. So she walked away without another word. Monger watched her go, a split feeling inside, that threw him in two directions the same time. He never should had allowed this to happen.

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**All right. I´m really anxious to hear what you say about this. So please tell me. **

**And see you next week at the same place ... I hope. **

**Have a good time and t****hanks for reading.**


	5. Chapter 5 Signals

**Hey there. I knew it would be you. Well, nice to be back, isn´t it? I for myself enjoy it a lot.**

**And to all of you, who might read this and don´t review. Shame on you. Learn a lesson from Suewe.**

* * *

**Signals**

Susan sat in the living room, that once had been the educational room. Here she had meet her friends the very first time. At this day, when the base was still a prison, it had been a cold and awful place. Now it was furnished like an actual living room and on some days there was a party in here that made it even sound like a normal living room. But now it didn´t feel like that at all. Susan was sitting on the table, her coffee stood in front of her, untouched.

After that certain night, she hadn´t seen Monger again. At least not at a close range. He would stay in his office, working or perhaps only pretending to do so. Every time she saw him and tried to catch him for a talk, he was gone and the door closed behind him, before she was able to reach him. He didn´t even seem to notice her attempts. But of course he knew. How couldn´t he? And that made her even more furious. She wanted to take him and shake this stubbornness out of him, she wanted to force him to talk to her. She wanted to be mad with him, really angry. As angry as she had been with Derrek. But she couldn´t. She had no idea why. She just couldn´t. There was no anger. It only hurt.

But hadn´t she already enough experience with that? She had no intention to go through that again. The worst thing was, that she couldn´t even talk to her friends about it. No. No way. No, she had to bear that on her own.

But wait. Just a second. Who the hell said that she had to do all this mental work on her own? Not she alone was involved. This goddamn bastard had to take at least half of it. That was his godforsaken duty. And if he tried to hide from it, she would get him out and make him face it. Make him, face her.

With a certain determination she stood up and walked (stamped) out. Her friends, that sat on their own table, playing cards, looked after her with puzzled faces.

„Does anyone have an idea, what´s the matter with her?" Link asked.

B.O.B. and Dr. Cockroach just shrugged. Finally Link shook his head. „Women." he said and bowed over his cards again. Dr. Cockroach was the last one, who looked thoughtful at the door that had closed behind Susan. Unlike the others, he really wondered.

...

The 50 feet tall woman walked through the base. Now she _was_ angry. She needed to know what was going on between her and Monger. How should she, if he wouldn´t talk to her? He had no right to do that to her. When she reached his office, she called him to come out, leaving no doubt that she meant it.

„I´m very busy." he answered over intercom. His voice was rough and straight like always. „Is there anything important about the regular business on the base?" ha asked.

„No." Susan answered confused. Her anger was completely rushed away.  
„Then I´m afraid it has to wait until the duty is done." he told her.

„But …"

„Monger out." and the line went dead.

Susan stood there and looked at the window of Mongers office. He was sitting in there, bowed over his desk, reading and writing like mad. Pretending not to notice that she was still there. She felt a stitch in her chest that was somehow familiar. It reminded her on the feeling she had had on that evening, after Derrek finally had shown her his true face. The day when she had realized that he never really loved her but only himself. That he wouldn´t stand by her after she became a giant. Something that was abnormal. It felt quiet that way.

But the same time it felt different. It didn´t feel like being betrayed. This time it felt like being rejected. She knew he had wanted this kiss too. But now he was acting like it never happened. What was he trying to do with that? Did he really believe, he could make it undone with this behavior? That it would disappear? He couldn´t be serious. Burning the paper from the file of his friend, didn´t make disappear his mutation either.

Susan felt that she became angry again. This was ridiculous. His behavior was just childish, nothing more. Not the kind of behavior she would have expected from a soldier like him. He should have more character than that. The thing was, she knew he had the character. She had seen it, not just once. So what was it that made him so afraid now? He wasn´t afraid of her size, was he?

„What is it, my dear?" Dr. Cockroach asked next to her. She hadn´t seen him coming.

When she looked at this sympathizing eyes, she felt like crying. Oh, how much she wished, she could tell him. Tell anyone. But she couldn´t. Admitting that she had fallen for something like that again, was just impossible.

„Everything is all right." she lied.

„Are you sure?" he asked. „You look so … upset."

„I am sure." she said, looking through Mongers window again. Dr. Cockroach followed her gaze.

„Did you want something from Monger?" he asked.

„Yes, I did." she hissed and clenched her fists again. „But he is busy."

Dr. Cockroach looked at her unsure, what to make out of this. For a moment she considered to ask him, if he would go to Monger for her. Just to see if he would have the time to talk to him instead of her. If he would, she would have have the evidence for her theory. But then she changed her mind. She didn´t need evidence. Everything was crystal clear.

„Excuse me." she finally said and went away, leaving the bug headed scientists behind with a puzzled face.

...

Monger sat in his office. The work he had had to do – to be honest, everything he had left behind the last three months – was already done. Though he wished there would be something more. Of course it was his proper right to command the base from where ever he wanted to do it. But as a soldier he didn´t like it to lie about his duty work.

But there was something else that bothered him. Since her last visit on which she had tried to talk to him about what happened, Ginormica didn´t call on him again. That was now a week ago. It was as if she wouldn´t try anymore. And though he had tried to avoid that talk in the first place, he suddenly felt strange for some reason. Why wasn´t she trying anymore to get him out for that talk? Or perhaps she was just waiting for him, to drop defence and come out himself? How was he supposte to find out?

He sighed. He was well aware about the fact that he was a coward. Seventy years of active duty, two wars and at least one alien invasion and he wasn´t able to face the simple fact, that he had started to feel something again. It was ridiculous. Just stupid.

But before he could think about it any longer, his phone rang. He answered it, straight on duty as always. It was the Marine Corps Base Quantico. A man named David Isaak, adjutant of the officer in charge. It seemed like a huge frog was about to breed in the water reservoir of Washington D.C. The creature protected its new home with a certain determination. The national guard asked for the support of the M.O.-Unit. Monger affirmed that they were on the way and hung up. Now that was finally something he was used to. Work.

He called his troupe together and within half an hour the M.O.-1 was heading for D.C. Up in the air, he informed them about their mission. He talked to them from the guardrail, the way he always did. The whole time he kept a straight face, always reminding himself that he was at work. Nothing was more important than to do, what had to be done. It always was. So why the hell did he keep watching Ginormica´s reaction so damn close?

And even more important: Why did she act so goddamn normal? No difference at all, to all the other times before. That was strange, wasn´t it? He at least didn´t know what to do with that. The rest of the flight he would stay in the cockpit and avoid further contact. That was not the kind of battle he was used to fight. He didn´t understand it.

When they finally landed in D.C., he decided to focus completely on the assignment. They landed on the field close to the water reservoir. The national guard had already surrounded the tank, their weapons pointed at the creature that sat on the pump station in the middle of the tank.

When he got out of the plane, a young officer came to him and saluted. „David Isaak." he introduced himself. „We talked to each other."

Monger shook his hand and asked for a report. Isaak gave him the facts in a nutshell, while Ginormica and the other monsters went over to the water to have a closer look at the situation.

„I believe, it is best to try it with communication first." Dr. Cockroach suggested. „Link. Would you be so kind?"

Link didn´t hesitate and jumped into the water. He swam over to the giant frog. The creature followed him with its eyes until he stopped right in front of it.

„Ehm. Hi." he greeted. „I´m Link. Listen ehm. These guys over there are not so crazy about the idea that you are sitting in their water, you know. That has something to do with, who was here first and so on. Well … You see, I don´t have a problem with you at all. But they have. You got the idea, sis?"

For a moment it really seemed like the thing would react on him. It turned to him like it would listen. Link turned around for a moment and signalled his friends that everything was okymadoky. Then he faced the frog again and opened his mouth to continue the talk. But the frog had opened its mouth as well and his scream was so loud that Link flew right away. The monsters and the soldiers gasped when he landed close to the edge of the tank with a big splash. It took at least thirty seconds before he came up again. When he crawled out, he looked dizzy.

„What a snob." he said.

„It seems not possible to reach that creatures mind." Dr. Cockroach commented.  
„Yeah. And we can´t talk to him either." B.O.B. added.

„So why don´t we just go over there and scare it away from the tank? Then the national guard can take over" Susan asked and was already ready to go.

„I wouldn´t do that." Monger hold her back, his eyes locket at the frog. „Look at his gaze. He knows that we´re here."

Susan looked to the frog and saw that he was right. The animal was looking at them with a certain anger. Like it wanted to say: You may stand there if you want, but if you dare to come close, I will fight you.

„Shell it." Susan said. „Its just a frog."

„Its a toxic frog." Monger objected. „The report sais, it melted two sherman tanks before it sat down there and when they tried to reach it with choppers, it shot at them with its poison and brought them down. This frog is a real venom."

„So what we do?" Link asked.

There was a thoughtful silence before Dr. Cockroach finally snapped his fingers.

„I may have an idea." he said.

He explained them what he had in mind and Monger agreed that they would try it. He made some calls to get all the equipment they would need for it and after some time, the army delivered it. They built up some sort of a huge slingshot. The plan was to hit the frog with a big shot, full of a sedating medication. After the frog would be asleep, the air force could carry it away.

Link swam over to the frog again to catch his attention, while Susan was straining the slingshot. Dr. Cockroach sat on her shoulder and did the correct aiming with a reformed paper clip, that he had made into a cross line. When Link made the frog to turn his back on them, the Doc gave Susan the signal and she released the shot. It flew through the air and hit the frog in the back.

The animal jumped when it felt the pain and caused a huge wave in the reservoir. Link got sponged off and screamed. Susan jumped up and cried: „No!"

She immediately ran around the reservoir to find him. Dr. Cockroach was clinging to her shoulder to not to fall off. They found Link on the other side, lying on the grass, unconscious but alive.

The frog was still moving in the water, coursing big waves that spilled over the edge and made the soldiers skipping back. But soon after, it slowed down more and more, until it finally went still. It lay at the edge of the tank, half in, half out of the water, breathing deeply in its sleep. Monger called the choppers that they could come and get it.

„That was good work, Ginormica." he said when they came back to him.

„Hey, and what is about us?" Link mumbled when Susan sat him down.

„You all did a good job." Monger added a little embarrassed. He looked up to Susan.

„That´s a part of our duty, General." she said coldly and made him feel even more embarrassed.

„Excuse me." a familiar voice suddenly called. „Excuse me. Network. May I pass, please? Thank you."

It was Derrek, who approached the scene, a big yellow microphone in his hand and a camera man that followed eagerly behind. Monger and Susan reacted the same way without noticing it. With shocked disbelieve.

„May I ask some questions?" Derrek asked like a normal reporter.

„No cameras." Monger said. „Hey! Bring these people out of here!"

Some of the soldiers approached them to take the reporters away.

„You can´t do that, General Monger." Derrek objected. „There is something in this country that´s called freedom of the press. Our audience has a right to know, what is going on."

„Well, I´ll tell you what´s going on." Monger said. „Nothing. Its already over. Sorry, but you´re late weather man. You may leave."

„I see it differently." Derrek said. „Here is something going on. These monsters are still a threat against the civil population and that is something we should talk about. How can the government possible allow these abstruse creatures, to run free and endanger innocent people?"

„Hey!" Link cried angry about the insult.

„If there would be any brain in your head, you would understand that these creatures saved the world from danger, instead of endangering it." Monger said in a low threatening voice.

„Wait!" B.O.B. cried out. „Derrek doesn´t have a brain, too? I had no idea that we both are related."

„Obviously you are." Dr. Cockroach agreed without explaining B.O.B. his mistake. B.O.B. though he didn´t understand his mistake, understood the situation very well, sensing the feelings of his friends. He looked at Derrek as angry as all the others.

„I repeat one more time!" Monger yelled at the soldiers. „Get those people out of here!"

„Sir, would you please follow me?" one of the men said.

„I can prove personally that these monsters are dangerous." Derrek cried, ignoring the soldier and pointed at Susan. „This one hurt me badly in a very agressive manner. My doctors can prove a possibly permanent damage, that will never heal and that is just one case in which they acted that way. Following their agressive and violent nature."

„Derrek, I don´t believe that you´re really doing this." Susan said calmly. „I mean … I knew that you only see yourself but I never had expected you to lower down yourself that much. You´re acting ridiculous."

„You will see how ridiculous this is, when you are in court." Derrek said.

„There will be no court." Monger said.

„Oh yes, there will. You may scare away one lawyer, General Monger, but you can´t stop the justice. I found someone who isn´t afraid of the threat of the military or the government. Someone who still believes in justice."

„Derrek. You … are … nuts." Susan said still calm. „I won´t take this any longer."

With that she stood up and walked away. „Come on guys." she said and her friends followed her.

„Yeah run, Susan." Derrek called after her. „You will have to face the judge soon enough."

„You better get out of here now." Monger advised him. „Before things are getting ugly."

„Aren´t they already?" Derrek said in a low tone looking after Susan. „Hanging around with nasty, slimy monsters. I should have known." Then he smiled dirty at his camera man and shrugged. „Well. What to expect from someone as filthy as a jar of mud."

Monger felt a sudden rage and grabbed Derrek by the collar. He pulled him in so his face was close to his, when he hissed at him: „You better shut up before I loose myself. Believe me, you don´t want this to happen."

„Do you have that?" Derrek croaked to his camera man.

„Check." the man said.

Monger hesitated for a moment. Then he threw Derrek to the ground and yelled: „I said, bring them out of here!"

The soldiers finally took Derrek´s and his man´s arms and led them away, gently but without leaving a doubt that they would use force if necessary. Monger straighted his back and flushed his uniform. When he turned around he saw Susan, standing in the distance and watching the scene with a puzzled gaze. He turned around and walked away without a word. Slowly the monsters followed him, returning to their plane. There was nothing left here for them to do.

From one of the many bushes, that were growing around the reservoir, there was a small glimpse. Just one short sunbeam that hit a lens and got reflected in the opposite direction. As fast as a wink of an eye and so silent like a night in space. None of the monsters even noticed this little light flash. But they on the other hand, were watched very closely. The lens of the undiscovered recording device, followed them the same way it had done since their arrival and it did so until their plane was out of sight.

The soldiers didn´t notice it either. They were busy taking care of their equipment and even more important, their lunch. Three of them were standing next to their jeep and shared a big pizza after the well done job. The lens watched them as well.

...

At the same time, when the jumbo jet with the monsters inside, left Washington and headed back to Nevada, in Antarctica two men were sitting at their computer terminals, mainly bored by their daily routine but also waiting. Waiting patiently. They waited for a couple of weeks now, still unsure if the something they were waiting for, really ever would occur. And perhaps on some level, they even hoped that it wouldn´t.

The first time they had received that strange signal, had been in the night of Halloween. That was also the reason why they had treated it like a possible mistake until now. It could have been a strange kind of joke after all. No need to inform anyone about a trick or treat, created by an overactive hacker. Oh, how much they hoped, it would be only that.

But these hopes got smashed in one second when the monitor suddenly started to beep. The two men jumped, tensed and scared. It was Thomas Mason who took the first step and went to the keyboard. He entered some datas and dared to have a closer look at the source of that beeping. Finally he frowned. That was exactly what he wouldn´t want to read.

„Jerry." he said. „Thats it. Its the same signal."

„Are you sure?" Jerry cried and ducked behind his chair. „What shell we do now? I hate it to be the deliverer of bad news. What if it is another alien invasion?"

„Would you please stop it?" Thomas said annoyed and turned back to his computer. He paused.

„What?" Jerry shrieked.

„Its gone." Thomas told him. „You see? There is nothing. Just like last time. It seems, it is only active for a couple of seconds each time."  
„What does that mean?" Jerry asked a little more calm now.

„I don´t know. But we have to inform the government."

„You do that. I called last time and I still didn´t recover my reputation."

„You called because of a weather balloon." Thomas reminded his friend.

„That thing looked scary."

„Jerry."

„All right, all right. But what if it is a mistake again? I mean … It could be some sort of a sunspot, couldn´t it?"

Thomas sighed. „You´re right. It could. But if it isn´t … We have to call."

Jerry looked at his colleague uncertain. Then he gave in and took the phone receiver. He hesitated and with shaking hands finally gave it to Thomas. He groaned and took it, to make the call himself.

* * *

**So far for now. Let me know what you think of it.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6 Tarantula

**Hey Suewe. Its completely all right what you write. Just keep flattering me. It helps more than you think. :) And about your comparison with a series. It was definitely not planned, but if it turned out to be one, I´m completely okay with that.**

**Okay, now lets go on with the story. That´s why we are here.**

**

* * *

**

**Tarantula**

„Wow, man!" Link said amazed. He and the others were sitting in front of the TV watching the news, that showed Derrek´s story about their assignment in Quantico. The part where he was grabbed by the General was seen for the third time now. His version was a possible conspiracy inside the government and the military. Something so secret that high rang officers didn´t even have qualms about threatening reporters that tried to uncover the truth.

„My life might be in danger, when I say this." Derrek just told his audience dramatically. „But I will not rest until I found out what is really going on and why the government allows dangerous monsters, to run free in our society. This is Derrek Dietl. Signing off for New York Network. Hopefully … till next time."

Susan switched off the tube and threw the remote control onto the table. Her friends winced at the sound. But since they all knew what was the reason for her little outburst, that was actually already over (and against they couldn´t do anything, by the way) Link came back to what had amazed him so much before.

„Did you see, how Monger stood up for us?" he asked his friends. „That was pretty cool of him, wasn´t it?"

„Indeed." Dr. Cockroach agreed. „After all these years he kept us imprisoned, it is a quiet unexpected behavior. Well appreciated nevertheless."

„Yeah. " Link said. „I mean … okay we uncovered his secret. But doesn´t matter, does it? I mean hey. It was almost as if he really would like us."

„He likes us?" B.O.B. cried out happily. „Oh I knew it! I knew his rough tough I´m-the-great-unemotional-soldier-temper was just a facade. I knew, deep inside he is a smooth and sensitive boy that only wants to be loved and fondled."

He hugged himself with a absent minded smile. His friends looked at him unsure but he didn´t even notice.

„Ooookay." Link commented and behind him Butterflyosaurus agreed with a loud scream.

Susan on the other hand, who had listened all the time in silence, thought about B.O.B.´s words in a different way. Then, finally she took a decision. She stood up and walked out of the room without a word.

„Hey!" Link called after her. When she didn´t react he turned to his friends with an asking face. „What´s the matter? Did we say anything wrong?"

B.O.B. and Dr. Cockroach only shrugged.

„I believe, that affair with Derrek stroke her harder than we thought." Dr. C suggested. Link and B.O.B. reacted with sympathy and compassion for their friends feelings. Perhaps even a slight feeling of guilt on Links part, for not taking the whole thing as serious as he should have. It was a hard thing for Susan after all.

„Just give her some time." the Doc advised. „She´ll come around."

But this time the genius was wrong. It had to do with Derrek but it wasn´t about him. Not at all. Susan walked straight over to Mongers office. This time she wouldn´t allow him, to sneak away. She caught him right in the moment when he came out. When he saw her, he flinched in surprise. He obviously hadn´t expected her to show up in this moment. Susan looked at him angry, her fists on her hips.

„Its time to talk." she demanded.

Monger hesitated, looking around as if he still hoped to find a way to escape. Then he relaxed defeated and gave in. „I´m sorry about what happened yesterday." he said.

„I´m not talking about yesterday." she said. „Not only. You know, what this is about."

He closed his eyes for a moment and then looked up to her again, ready to listen.

„Listen." she said. „If you don´t want to go forward with this, you just have to say it. Why is it so difficult for you?"

Monger opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it again. After a few seconds, Susan got an idea why. Suddenly she didn´t feel that brave anymore. He didn´t just say that he didn´t want to go forward, because that wasn´t what he wanted. She saw the fear in his eyes. The fear to say something that would mean something, he could never take back. Something that would cause him a responsibility beyond everything he was supposte to take, since he was in charge of this facility. Something personal.

She inched closer to the guardrail but stopped before actually reaching it. She stood there and looked at him, thinking. He was afraid. Not of her – at least not of her size – but of what she might say.

„You don´t have to say anything." she said, finally understanding. „I just need to know … if we can handle this."

„Of course, we can." Monger answered immediately, smiling widely again.

Susan nodded somehow sad. She understood that he couldn´t do it different. He just couldn´t. It hurt nevertheless. Her gaze made him struggle harder to keep his straight face.

„All right." she said to release him and herself.

For a moment longer they hold each other with their eyes. And even if there was no lie between them in this moment, she decided to turn around and go.

„Ginormica!" he called after her and she stopped.

„My name is Susan." she said quietly, without turning around.

Monger hesitated. „Susan." he said.

To hear him call her name, was something special. She knew that. For the first time, she realized that he hadn´t call her by her given name at all, since they knew each other. He had always called her Ginormica. Always. For what reason, she didn´t know. But she did know something else. That it felt just good to be called Susan by him. She turned around to face him. He didn´t say anything.

After a while in silence she already thought, he wouldn´t say anything at all. But then he did. He said: „About yesterday. The thing with Derrek. You mustn´t listen to him. I can´t imagine a time when you weren´t at least ten times bigger than he is."

Susan´s heart began to pound. Mongers eyes were still afraid but there was something more. Something that begged her to help him getting through with this. She was ready to help him.

But before any of them could say another word, a Lieutenant ran in, waving and screaming. „General! General Monger!" he cried. „We just got a call from Area 51. They discovered a big moving creature in the desert of Nevada. A really big one."

„What is it?" Monger asked.

„They´re not sure since they hadn´t visual contact yet. But the infra looks like it would have eight legs."

Susan and Monger shared a glance. „A spider." they said unisono.

„Thats what they guess." the Lieutenant agreed.

Monger thought for a moment. Then he ordered the Lieutenant: „Call all monsters of the M.O.-1 to the hangar. Tell them, we start immediately."

„Yes sir." the man saluted and ran away.

Susan and Monger looked at each other, an unspoken question between them. Finally Susan smiled at him. „Its all right." she said. „We´ll finish that later." Then she saluted like the Lieutenant before. „See you in the hangar, General."

She walked away. He looked after her and couldn´t help himself but smiled wide. What a woman.

...

„Let me get this straight." Link said. „Your guys in Area 51 tell us, that Tarantula runs free in the desert?"

„That is what I told you." Monger said.

„Great." Link commented.

Dr. Cockroach shivered. „Spiders eat insects like me." he cried.

„Don´t worry." Susan said. „We won´t let it get you."

She looked at Monger for a moment and there was nothing awkward between them anymore. As strange as it was. But even if they never had a chance to talk it over, now it was like there would have never been anything wrong or unclear. Like it would be the easiest thing in the world.

A call came down the line. „Come in M.O.-1. This is Area 51. Come in." a voice called. „Do you read me?"

B.O.B. who was closest to the radio, just took the receiver and said: „Ehm, no. But I can hear you, if that helps."

„Give me that." Monger said and snatched the receiver away from him.

„We didn´t get that, M.O.-1." the man on the other end said. „Please repeat."

B.O.B. opened his mouth but was cut off by Monger. „Don´t you dare." he said and answered himself. „Area 51, here M.O.-1. What is it?"

„M.O.-1, we tracked Tarantula." the man on the radio finally told him. „Its approaching Las Vegas. They try to fight it back with firesticks but it hardly slows down."

„Area 51, we´re on the way. Monger out."

„Las Vegas." Dr. Cockroach repeated thoughtfully. „Do you think, it could be …?"

„Of course!" B.O.B. cried and waved a fist. Then he blinked. „What do we think?" he asked.

„I tell you." Link said. „The nuclear missile, Susan took down. It must have had an effect on that oversized spider."

„What effect?" B.O.B. asked.

„I don´t know." Link said nerved. „Loss of hair?"

„Prepare to get out." Monger interrupted the chat. „We´re almost there."

„Ready when you are." Susan answered for the group, saluting for fun. Monger nodded smiling and got into the cockpit.

When they landed, they saw the big spider from the distance. It struggled with the firearms but if they were honest, the army had to struggle more. It was almost at the city.

„We have to bring it away from the city." Susan cried and started to run.

„Wait!" Link called after her but she didn´t listen. „Butterflyosaurus!"

The huge moth screamed and landed next to the plane, to let the monsters climb on his back. Then he started and followed Susan, who had almost reached the spider. She looked around and then picked up a rock. When she was sure, not to hit the soldiers, she threw it at the spider and hit its back. The spider turned around angry.

„Come here, you nasty beast!" Susan yelled and picked up another rock. „I won´t stop, if you don´t make me." She threw the rock. This time she missed the spider but it definitely understood the threat, because now it headed for her. Susan looked for another rock and had to face the fact, that there were no more.

„Ooops." she said and hurried to get away from the spider.

„Susan!" Link called and when she turned around, she saw her friends riding on Butterflyoaurus.

„We catch its attention!" Link cried.

„Okay. We have to bring it away from the city." Susan reminded him.

„Check." Link cried and together they brought the spider deeper into the desert. They let the spider follow them. In one moment it would chase Susan, in the other Butterflyosaurus and the other way again. But suddenly the spider seemed to get tired of the moth and decided to hunt down Susan.

When they realized that, the monsters changed course and hurried to stop it, before it would run over Susan. Butterflyosaurus shot a string at the spider and caught one of the legs. The spider struggled with it but Butterflyosaurus spun the string around the leg and pulled. The spider fell and screamed so loud that Susan had to press her hand over her ears. When Butterflyosaurus pulled again, the leg flew right off and the moth crash landed far ahead. The spider screamed again and ran away.

...

„Lost?" Monger yelled into the radio. „How can you possibly loose a ten feet high spider in the desert?"

„I can´t answer that, General." the man on the other end said. „But that´s what happened. We can´t track it."

Monger groaned. „Understood." he said. „Monger out."

„Perhaps they can´t find it." Susan said behind him. „But we can. We have to."

„Maybe its already dead." Monger suggested and looked at the leg Butterflyosaurus had ripped off the spider. It was fixed to a moving platform, so the scientists of Area 51 could carry it away. It was still moving, twitching under the ropes that hold it.

„Not necessarily." Dr. Cockroach replied. „Some spiders can snap off their own legs when they are in danger. It could still be out there. Waiting until its leg grows again."

„All right." Monger mused. „Then we shouldn´t give it that time."

„That´s right." Link agreed. „Butterflyosaurus will hunt this thing down. He´s better than any blood dog. Then your guys can take over."

Monger thought about it for a minute. Then he nodded. „All right, monsters. Do it."

The monsters climbed at Butterflyosaurus´ back and the huge moth started circling the area.

After a while of searching, they spotted a moving shadow on the ground. When they approached it they saw, it was truly the spider. And worse. It had all of its legs again.

„M.O.-1 to operator, come in." Dr. Cockroach called over the little radio that was attached to his head. „We found it."

„10-4, M.O.-1. What´s your position?" Monger asked. Dr. Cockroach gave him their position and Monger promised that he was on his way. The bombers would be there soon. They should only watch the spider to keep visual contact. Dr. Cockroach affirmed the order when suddenly the spider shot a web string at them. It caught Butterflyosaurus on one of his legs. The big moth screamed and swirled, so that his passengers fell of.

„M.O.-1, whats going on?" Monger yelled over the radio when he heard the screams.

„Mayday!" Dr. Cockroach called falling. „We are hit. I repeat. We are h..." In that moment he hit the ground and was knocked out for at least a minute.

B.O.B. caught Link and stopped his fall, so he wouldn´t get hurt and Susan just jumped to the ground and rolled off. Butterflyosaurus fell to the ground hart. The spider still shot her web at him and soon he was spun in, unable to move.

„No!" Susan and Link cried. They started to run the same time but of course she was faster. By throwing rocks at the spider, she caught its attention and brought it away from her friend.

„Follow me, you big ugly thing!" she demanded. „Come on, you remember me right? The rock lady? Yeah, thats a good beasty. Come here!"

The spider crawled in her direction and then hesitated. It was as if it would think, if Susan or Butterflyosaurus would be the better bait.

„Whats the matter?" Susan cried. „I´m right here!"

In this moment when she thought, the spider was about to turn around and she attempted to follow her, the beast jumped forward at her. It happened so fast, that she had no chance to avoid the crash and soon found herself lying under the spider. Desperately trying to avoid contact with the claws she hit the stomach of the spider with her feet, to get it off herself. In that moment, when the beast bowed down to her, something hit it and it screamed in pain. Susan´s ears hurt but then the spider was gone. Running.

She looked after it and realized that it was bleeding at the back. A jet flew over her and made a bow far ahead. Monger had kept his promise.

„Susan!" Dr. Cockroach called for her.

She turned around and saw Butterflyosaurus lying on the ground. Link was already with him, trying to free him from the web. Susan turned again to find the spider. It might be hit, but it was still fast.

„We must not loose it." she called and ran after it.

„Wait!" Dr. Cockroach called after her but he wasn´t fast enough to catch up with her. So he returned to Link and B.O.B. to help them with Butterflyosaurus. Before he reached them, he called Monger over radio: „The spider´s running." he told him. „Susan is in pursued. They are moving north, heading for the mountains."

„Copy that." Monger answered. „We´re with you in a minute, collecting you."

While the monsters were busy to free Butterflyosaurus, Susan chased the spider. She followed it until it reached the mountains, where it vanished into a crevice. Susan hurried but when she reached it, the spider was already gone. The crevice was thin but big. If she just could get through. She made herself as small as she could and squeezed herself through. It worked. She struggled a little but soon after she had managed the first meters, the crevice went wider and she could get through easier. At the end she reached some sort of a cave. Tarantula sat in a corner and jumped up when the unbidden visitor entered.

„You won´t get rid of me so easily." Susan said. The spider reacted somehow angry, as if it had understood every word she said. Susan picked up a long sharp rock and made a inventing movement with her hands. „Come on, Sweety." she said. „We´re not done yet."

The spider approached her and then they started to circle each other like sworn enemies. The spider attacked and Susan jumped aside. When she tried to hit it with her improved knife, she missed it several times. A sudden movement of the spiders legs, disarmed her. The rock-knife flew through the cave and landed on the other side. Susan cursed and jumped after it. Another hit of the legs hit her and threw her to the ground. She rolled off but the spider started to hit like a mad man and soon she was struggling to avoid the legs. Goddammit! It was almost as if this thing had become bigger than it had been before. Finally one leg hit her and threw her to the ground again. When she looked up, the spider was coming over her. Now she was sure, that it was bigger than before. Was it growing? She rolled aside just in time and Tarantula´s claws hit the dust instead of her head. Susan didn´t stop rolling until she was on the other wall. Her hand found the rock-knife and grabbed it.

In that very moment the spider was at her again. It screamed angry and prepared to kill her. But before it could do so, Susan stabbed it in the stomach. She didn´t hit it very good. She could feel the rock-knife glide off. But it was enough to make the spider wine in pain. It started to tremble and skipped away. On its way back, it fell to the ground several times, stood up again, fell again, stood up and so on, until it slipped into a small crevice in a corner of the cave.

Susan hurried after her. No, she thought. You won´t get away just to lick your wounds somewhere and to return later. I´ll get you now or never.

This crevice was even smaller than the last one but Susan had no time to think about that. Again she squeezed herself through it, forced herself to get further and actually managed it. She could hear the spider wine in the distance and that forced her even more. When she reached the end of that tunnel she was in a bowl, somewhere inside the mountains. It was a relief to see the sky again. Crawling through that mountain was not a good feeling if you don´t know where exactly you were. In the middle of that bowl there was a stony bridge that went right through it, from the left end to the right. It had something about a fallen pillar, the way it sometimes looked in old Sword-and-Sandal films about the old Rome. The spider was sitting in front of that stony bridge, obviously exhausted.

Susan took her stone-knife – she didn´t even notice that suddenly she had to hold it tighter to close her fingers around it – and ran toward the enemy, screaming angry to scare it. It worked. The beast tried to run away and climbed over the bridge. Susan didn´t try to follow. She ducked and passed down the bridge. When Tarantula came down on the other side, exposing its stomach to her, she stabbed it again. This time the knife didn´t slip off but went right into the spiders body. Warm blood spread out of the wound and all over Susan. But she didn´t let go. She slammed the weapon deeper into the wound until the spider made a sudden movement and ribbed it out of her hand. Susan watched the beast tremble until the end of the bowl. Then it finally brake down and died.

Susan breathed deeply and walked towards her dead enemy. When she stood next to it, she finally realized that something wasn´t quiet right. The spider was much bigger than before. Almost twice the size it should have been. How could this be? How could it have grown so fast in such a short time? Wounded? Then she looked at the rock that still stuck in the wound and touched it. She was sure that it was the same rock, she had picked up in the cave, but that was impossible. This rock was much bigger. She couldn´t lay her fingers completely around it. What the hell …?

Finally it hit her like a bolt of lightning. It wasn´t the spider. It was her. She was smaller. If she had worn more than just the alien suit, she would have noticed it earlier. But since that strange material changed the size along with her, she had had no hint for what was going on. But now she knew. How couldn´t she? It was obvious.

„Oh my god!" she cried more scared than she had been because of the spider. „No! No, this can´t be! Please, don´t let this happen!"

But it was real. She was smaller. But how? She looked at the spider and suddenly she knew it. The nuke. The same source that made this beast growing, made her shrinking now. But why now and not earlier?

Susan remembered how she had tried to get through those crevices and suddenly had an idea why. Because she had needed to be smaller, to get through there. But wouldn´t that also mean …?

Following her instincts – and honestly a really crazy idea – she tried to concentrate. Smaller, she thought. Get smaller.

Her vision changed in a strange way. First she thought, she would be dizzy but then she realized, that it really worked. She shrank. Scared she stopped her experiment and noticed that it was already too late. She looked at the spider and it was huge in front of her.

„No!" she cried and ran away. Not from the spider, the spider was dead. She ran away from being small again. She was supposte to be Ginormica. That wasn´t right. She had to be bigger. Much bigger. When she reached the end of the bowl, she suddenly couldn´t get through the crevice. In her panic she didn´t know what to do and tried to rip it open. When stones flew under her grip, she finally realized, that she was already big again.

She paused and looked around and down herself. How did this happen? Though the idea was already in her head, it was too crazy to really believe that. After another minute she decided to try it, no matter how crazy it was. She closed her eyes and focused. When she opened them again, she found herself standing in front of a big crevice. Her heart made a jump of excitement. She really could control it. She was able to shrink herself.

Just one second later the fright was back, that she might not be able to make it undone and she hurried to focus on getting bigger again. And again it worked. She looked around and saw the spider only some steps away from herself, what had been two hundred meters for a normal human.

Suddenly the sound of a chopper was over her. A voice over loudspeaker yelled: „We found her. She is in a bowl right beneath us."

Shortly after that, Butterflyosaurus appeared and screamed happily. He landed on the top of the mountain because the bowl was too small for him. He stretched his wing and let the other monsters slide down to her.

„Susan!" they called happily. „You made it!"

The door of the chopper opened and Monger flew out with his jetpack. He looked down at her with a worried face. The other monsters looked at her the same way. That was the moment when she realized, that the blood of the spider was still all over her.

„I´m all right." she assured them. „Thats not my blood."

Her friends relaxed and Monger made a call over the radio. He informed the pilots that they could return to their base. Tarantula was defeated.

„Good work, Ginormica." he yelled. „But next time it would be nice, to wait for us."

„I´m sorry, General." she said smirking. „I was in a hurry."

„Apology accepted." Monger said and turned around to get back to the chopper.

„No wait!" Susan called him back and then turned to her friends. „I have to show you guys something." she told them excited. She faced Monger and asked: „Would you land for that, please?"

He looked at her unsure, but then did as she asked.

„Please, close your eyes." she said. Her friends didn´t understand. „Please." she begged. „Just do it. All of you." she added looking at Monger. He gave her a puzzled smile but finally agreed. When all of them had closed their eyes, Susan focused again and shrank. When she was small, she said: „Now open your eyes."

The reaction was instantly and stunned on every face. Even Butterflyosaurus looked amazed from his place over their heads.

„Wow." Link said.

„What by Hawkins chair?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

„How did you do this?" B.O.B. wanted to know.

„I don´t know, but isn´t that amazing?" Susan cheered, barely able to keep herself calm. „And that´s not all. I can grow again. I tried it."

„Is it possible that the radiation of the nuclear missile, you were exposed to, had that side effect on you?" Dr. Cockroach wondered.

„Yeah, thats what I thought." Susan agreed still excited. „Who would have thought that? Isn´t that great? Now I can choose if I want to be Ginormica or not."

Suddenly she realized Mongers stunned face. He stood there in silence, just looking at her. She went quiet instantly. Then she went over to him. For some reason she felt awkward now. As if she had to apologize for something, she had done. After all, this was also strange for her. Until that moment she hadn´t realized, that she never saw him that way before. Ever since she knew him, he had been smaller than her. He actually still was – about a few centimeters. But in this moment she felt much smaller than him. She had seen her other friends from face to face at the same size once, but never him. She felt a need to reach out for him, to discover that new experience but she fought it back. After all they weren´t alone.

„I … I discovered it by accident." she explained. „When I tried to get through that crevice to follow the spider."

He kept silence for one more moment. „Sure that you can make it undone?" he finally asked.

Susan nodded. „I already tried." she said. „Isn´t that wonderful? I mean … now I can be Ginormica and a normal person."

Monger hesitated. He surely understood what she tried to say. „Only if it really holds." he finally said. „We have to check this out. I want you to let the medical staff investigate it. They shell observe your condition and find out, if it is permanent or not."

„That´s a good idea." Dr. Cockroach agreed. „Just imagine, that this effect could have other effects on your health. Probably even a mutation. You wouldn´t want to risk that, would you?"

„Mutation?" Susan repeated.

„I just speak hypothetical." Dr. Cockroach calmed her down and lay a hand on her shoulder. „But we have to make sure."

„Correct." Monger said and activated his belt. „Until then we should stay calm about this new development. Let´s not celebrate too early."

**

* * *

****Well, well, well. Who had thought that? Well, me of course, but whats about you? Expected something like that?**

***Shrug* At least it promisses more chapters, don´t you think? Tell me.**

**And thanks for reading. Always a pleasure.**


	7. Chapter 7 Changes

**Hello again. No delays because of the holidays with me. Others might do that but I´m just too impatient to wait.**

**So here we are. Lets go on, shell we? Of course, we shell.**

**

* * *

****Changes**

Back in the base Susan had to have uncountable test done on her. Dr. Cockroach and a dozen other doctors were surrounding her, investigating her condition. One of them, a young woman (her features looked somewhat between Asian and European) took the device the Doc had rebuild to scan Monger. Suddenly it was more useful than he had expected. The young doctor looked at the datas it showed her and shook her head in amazement.

„How the hell did you build this?" she asked.

„I´m a genius." the Doc answered.

The young doctor, her nameplate read Dr. Ariane Simmons, looked at him, first confused, then she chuckled and turned back to the device, again with a shaking head.

„Ari, I need your help here." Dr. Stevens called her and she went over to him.

„Dr. Cockroach." Monger asked over Intercom. He and the other monsters were waiting outside the room, only alowed to look in through a window. „You are fumbling on her since an hour now." Monger said. "What is it?"

„A matter like that needs much more attention than a simple hour, General." the Doc objected.

„You will be able to tell us something."

„Well, I can tell you that she is in a stable condition. Still."

„Will this change?"

„I can´t tell now."

„We have datas that say that her Quantonium and the radiation of the Uranium merged inside of her body." Dr. Stevens explained. „It … somehow created a new form of mutation in her."  
„Is that dangerous?" Susan asked worried.

Stevens shrugged and threw a short look at Dr. Cockroach. „At least it doesn´t seem dangerous." he said. „But if it is a stable condition, we can´t tell yet. Your ability to change your size by will, could fade away again. To be sure about that, we would have to have a deeper look."

„A deeper look?" Monger asked alarmed. „What does that mean?"

„We need a sample of your DNA, Susan." Dr. Cockroach explained.

She shrugged. „How? My blood?" she asked and offered her finger.

„I´m afraid I´ll need something … well … deeper."

„What does that mean?" she asked worried.

„The core of the Quantonium is at the centre of your belly." Dr. Stevens explained. „Somewhere here." he pointed at her solar plexus. „That is also the point where the merging of the two radiations took place. That might sound strange but we located it very exactly. Thanks to Dr. Cockroach´s new device here. To investigate the matter we´ll have to have a sample from that part of you. We´ll have to take a biopsy."

„Does it hurt?" Susan asked and almost the same time Monger demanded to know: „Is that dangerous?"

Dr. Stevens looked to the General and then back to Susan. „We will sedate you. It won´t hurt." he promised and turned to Monger half way. „And … yes. With an invasive operation like that, there is always a risk. But I will be extra careful."

„I´ll watch the operation myself." Dr. C promised. „I won´t let a mistake happen."

„I know." Susan said. Then she nodded. „Okay. Do it."

About half an hour later, Susan lay on the table, a big needle over her, that inched closer and closer to her belly. Dr. Stevens was standing next to her, watching the process closely, always ready to call Stop if anything should go wrong. Dr. Cockroach handled the machines, assisted by Dr. Simmons, who checked every single data the machine would give, to make sure, no mistake would occur. He was very concentrated and didn´t seem to notice anything else that was around him. Only the console that was in front of him.

The needle was almost at her. Susan couldn´t stand it any longer and turned her face away from it. She made herself look through the window, where Monger and her friends watched the whole operation even more tensed then she felt. Then they winced in sympathy and Susan knew, the needle had stitched in. She didn´t feel a thing. Link and B.O.B. closed their eyes. They couldn´t stand it either.

She saw Link peeking through his fingers, shivering. He winced again. Then he fainted.

Susan had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing. It probably wasn´t a good idea to laugh when a huge needle was in your stomach. Her eyes met Monger´s. He hadn´t closed his eyes but his face showed how worried he was. His hands were clinging to the console in front of him. She gave him a weak smile but he didn´t return it. It wasn´t necessary. He was with her.

Finally the operation was over. Dr. Stevens and Simmons bandaged her wound and she was allowed to sit up.

„You should avoid to grow again the next days." Dr. Stevens advised her. „The wound could brake open. And I want you to come in for examination every day, until we know the results of the tests."

„Okay, Doctor." Susan said weakly. When she tried to stand up, she felt dizzy and had to hold on the bed.

„Careful Susan." Dr. Cockroach said and gave her a hand. „The sedation is still infecting you. You should lay down and rest."

„Thats a good idea." she agreed and gave him a smile.

„I help you." B.O.B. offered and Susan hold onto him thankfully.

„How long until you have the results?" the General wanted to know.

„These tests need some time." Dr. Cockroach answered. „Not under a week, I guess."

Monger nodded. „I´d let a room prepare for you." he informed Susan when they passed him at the door. „Its in normal humans size."

„Thank you." she said. Now she really felt sleepy.

He nodded and led the way without saying another word. At the door, Susan let go of B.O.B. and walked in on her own.

„I see you tomorrow." B.O.B. said very serious.

„For lunch." Susan added with a smile. Then she turned to Monger. He still looked worried but didn´t say a word.

„Rest." he finally ordered.

„Order will be obeyed." she said with a smile.

Now he finally smiled too. It wasn´t a real smile. Just a halfway smirk on the right edge of his mouth. But it was there at least. Susan pushed the button next to her door and the door came down. She hold Mongers gaze until it was replaced by the iron door. That was the last thing she saw for the next twelve hours.

...

When she woke up, she felt refreshed. She left her new room to look after her friends and found B.O.B., Link and Butterflyosaurus in the living room, playing cards.

„Hey." Link greeted when he saw her. „How are you? You look better."

„Good. I´m fine." she answered looking around. The table that had been build up especially for her size as Ginormica, now looked like a huge building. Unbelievable, she thought. Sometimes she had complained that the legs of the table were a little too short to sit on it comfortable.

„Wow." she said. „I´ll have to get used to that first."

„Hey." B.O.B. cried. „Are you even Ginormica still? I mean … After all, you ain´t very ginormous anymore."

„I don´t know." Susan admitted.

„We can find out." Link said and put his elbow on the table. „Armwrestling. Come on."

„I have a better idea." Susan said and went over to the huge table that had been hers, when she was big. She grabbed the leg and pushed. It moved and soon she held it over her head. „Hm, it still works." she commented.

A door opened. „Susan!" Dr. Cockroach cried in shock and ran over to her. „What are you doing? Put that down. You should be more careful. Your wound hasn´t healed yet. Don´t underestimate a biopsy wound. I don´t want to be the reason for you to collapse."

„Okay." she said smirking and sat the table down. „I promise, I won´t do it again."

Butterflyosaurus roared and she had to close her ears. It was much louder now for her.

„I know, I know." she answered and then paused. „Wow. I think I actually start to understand him."

„Its just a matter of practice." Link said smirking and leaned back in his chair.

„By the way." Dr. Cockroach said. „I was asked to tell you to come and see Doctor Stevens again. He wants to check on your condition."

„I´ll go this instant." Susan promised. „See you later guys."

She went down to the clinic and the Doctors started to check on her. It was a strange feeling to be around normal people again. She had been Ginormica for only a year but she had become used to it so fast, that it was hard for her to readjust now. It would probably take some time. But Dr. Stevens and especially his young colleague Dr. Simmons, made it easy for her. Simmons was around her own age and if they had met in Modesto, they probably would have been friends. They were both very kind, what made Susan feel safe in their presence.

After Dr. Stevens had released her again, Susan decided to pay Monger a visit. When she had to learn all over again how it was to be around people of her size, it could be him as well. So far for the theory. Only that it turned out to be a much longer way than she had expected. She was used to walk it in a size of 50 feet. Now it was like she had a whole city to cross before she arrived at Mongers office. Her feet started to hurt and she wanted nothing but sit down. But when she reached the office door, she found it locked. No one answered. When a Lieutenant hurried along, Susan called out for him.

„Ehm, excuse me. Can you tell me, where General Monger is?"

„Why, he is in Washington." the young man answered. „Staffs meeting. Sorry, I have to go." and with that he was gone.

Susan thought and counted. Was it the fifteenth again? How could she have missed that? Of course he was away. He always was on that day of the month. Susan cursed. Dammit. Now she would have to wait until tomorrow. Why was the situation so familiar to her? But no, she corrected herself. This time, he wasn´t avoiding her. This meeting was a regular part of his schedule.

With that sudden realisation, that she had to wait until tomorrow before she could talk to Monger, she felt bored. Using a whole day only for waiting was not her cup of tea. With a shrug she turned around to walk back to her friends. Now she was up for a nice little game of cards.

...

The next day she went out to the desert along with the others for their usual training. Well, of course it wasn´t that usual. The whole area looked so different now that she was small again. It was almost like she would be on a complete different place. It was strange. She was back to her old self, the size she was born with and with what she had lived her whole life, save the last year. But now it felt wrong to be so small. She felt weak again. As if she had been a blind that had been able to see for one single year and now was blinded again.

On a certain point, she spotted the mountain that contained their base in the distance. She looked at the highest point of it and remembered the day when she had followed Monger up there. Then she had been big and the climbing was just a little extra training for her. Today she would need a week to reach the top.

She also remembered the talk they had had and of course what had happened later. God, it felt so long ago. It truly was time to have a talk about it. As soon as they were back in the base, she went over to Mongers office. Now he had to be back. And she was right. He sat in his office over a huge mountain of files and paperwork. With him were two Lieutenants, reading and writing like mad.

„Ehm, General?" she asked.

Monger looked up. „Ginormica." he said and then it was obvious that he wondered about the name.

„Its all right." Susan said with an understanding smile. „I´m not used to it yet either."

„Can I help you?" he asked firmly.

Susan threw a look at the two Lieutenants before she asked: „Do you have a moment?"

He stood up and walked over to her. „I´m afraid not." he said. „As you see, there is a lot of work that came along with me. The President wants the whole budget of his bureau rearranged, so I have to take care of that."

Susan had to force herself not to grin at this. „The President wants this?" she asked.

She had seen speeches of that man and her impression was not that of a man, that was interested in budget or anything serious outside his own glamour. Seeing that from far away was almost funny. She had always enjoyed these speeches. She and her friends had used to giggle at them so hard that they rolled off the couch. Now that she remembered that, it was even harder to hold herself back. Monger of course had to see that. He chuckled and lowered his gaze for a moment. Before he looked at her again, he made sure that the Lieutenants didn´t listen. He bowed a little closer to her and whispered: „To be honest … I rather think, his advisers want it."

Susan giggled and made herself stop when she noticed the two Lieutenants looking up at her. Monger straighted his back the same time she did. He smiled widely. It was a good feeling to share this little secret with him. It made them allies once again.

„Sorry, but it has to wait …" he started to say but was interrupted by her.

„Until the duty is done." she finished the sentence for him. The situation was indeed familiar.

„Yes." he said but it sounded like `I´m sorry´.

„Understand." she said and she really did. „This can wait."

With that she went out. She would talk to him when there was time. She wouldn´t want to do that between the door anyway. Things like that needed more time. A lot more time. So she would wait.

She felt a need to know if there were any test results anyway, so she went over to the lab. There she found Dr. Cockroach working. She asked him in a by-the-way-tone, but he reacted like she had forced him for an answer.

„I will tell you as soon as I have something." he cried, his hands like claws at the level of his head. „Why can´t you people just wait? Don´t you have any patience? You sound exactly like Monger."

„Monger asked you for the results?" she asked surprised. He obviously had found the time for that.

„Yes, and he is getting on my nerves. I told him that I would keep him informed, but military men never had any patience at all. None of them. Believe me. When I have something, I´ll tell you. I´ll tell you!"

„Okay." Susan said quickly, trying to calm him down. „I … think I go over there now. Bye then." and she hurried to get away from that highly explosive insect-scientist.

Dr. C went on with his work in an almost stubborn way. He wouldn´t allow anyone to disturb him anymore. He had made sure that Monger couldn´t call in again by switching off the intercom. And after Susan had left he had even locked the door.

After a while Dr. Simmons approached him carefully. „Ehm, Dr. Cockroach?" she addressed him.

„If a certain General sent you to me to ask for results, you may tell him that I …"

„No, no!" Simmons stopped him immediately and chuckled slightly. „No, thats not the reason why I´m here. I wanted to have a short talk with you, if I may."

Dr. Cockroach thought it over and finally gave in. „All right." he said and turned to the young Doctor. „How can I help you, my dear?"

„I had a very close look at the device you build up. In a matter of fact, I didn´t do anything else the last two days." Simmons explained. „And my decent opinion on that is, that it is just brilliant. Really, the efficiency of the device tops everything, the medical science ever knew until now. Well, and I was wondering. I have a friend that studies at the M.I.T. I think you should show them your invention. It could be one of the big breakthroughs of this decade."

„Are you serious?" Dr. C asked. He never would have thought about that in a thousand years.

„I am." she said. "And I´m convinced that they will embrace it. This invention of yours is too innovative to just get lost in this facility. The world should know about it."

Dr. C thought it over. „To get a patent, you have to be a registered person." he argued.

„Well … Thats why I thought you should go to these people. These are the best of the best working there. If anyone can help you bring your invention to the market, its them."

„You really think they would allow me to come to their table?" Dr. C asked doubtful.

Simmons reacted quiet surprised. This thought obviously was completely new for her. „Why shouldn´t they?" she asked.

Dr. C chuckled and opened his arms to demonstrate his appearance. „I´m not quiet what they are used to welcome in their community." he said.

„Dr. Cockroach." Simmons said almost shaken. „I … I know you are not quiet … well human. But I doubt that there is any scientist on earth that hasn´t heard from you by now. Your reputation talks for itself. You have at least the same chance, to present your invention like anybody else. Really you should try." She gave him the most serious look, Dr. Cockroach assumed a young woman like her would be able to give and said: „Its your duty as a scientist."

Dr. C couldn´t help himself. The enthusiasm of this las was infecting. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps there was truly something like a duty, he had for science. He was a scientist after all. And he couldn´t deny either that the thought of finally getting credit for his work, was also very very appealing. Maybe it was really worth trying.

Dr. Simmons noticed his change in mind and smiled satisfied. She gave him a short encouraging nod. „Shell I call my friend?" she asked.

Dr. C just smiled at her. That was all the answer Simmons needed from him. Anxious like a little girl on Christmas, she hurried away to make the call. Dr. C couldn´t do anything but wonder. He really wondered.

...

Some say, there is nothing more silent than the infinite space. This evacuated and dark place, where no sound can get carried by any chance. The place in which films always tell us, space ships and planets would explode with big bangs and loud whooshes, even if science already proved that without air, there can´t be any of this at all. The place where the real classics of the film industry told us decades ago, that no one would ever hear you scream. How could this empty space ever be the source of something that made the ears of Thomas Mason ringing?

But it was a fact that exactly this had happened. For three days now, he was sitting on his terminal, two pairs of earwigs in his head and listing to every sound that could possibly come from somewhere up there. Of course he didn´t hear anything. But as crazy as it was, that was the reason why his ears were revolting. They claimed to get something to work with. Something that would make the hammer work and send some datas to the brain. Some surge waves that his memory could compare and identify, may it be something nice or bad. A simple signal of acoustic. Sound, for gods sake.

But there was nothing. Not even static. It was so stupid. He was close to go bananas. If there wouldn´t be anything the next hours, he possibly would. Why the hell was it him and Jerry, who had to do this? In Houston they had so much equipment and even more manpower. But obviously one of these geniuses was convinced that their receiving down here in the Antarctica was much clearer and less disturbed by interferences. Yes, he thought. And we are also bored and happy to get even more bored by listening into nothing at all for hours. It was stupid. Just stupid.

He threw a look at his watch. Almost five. Okay, he thought. Thats it. I´m done for today. Now it was Jerry´s part to sit there and listen to nothing. He knocked at his table with his empty cup to wake him up. Jerry jumped up, his eyes wide in shock.

„What!" he screamed. „What happened?"

„I´ll tell you what happened." Thomas groaned and took the headset off. „Nothing. Exactly like in the last three days. Your turn."

Jerry almost sneaked to his place to sit down and take over. But before he reached the seat, he hesitated and listened for something.

„What is it?" Thomas asked. „Do you already hear the beeping before you put on the … ?"

But suddenly he heard something as well. It was a deep buzzing sound, that sounded somehow like a very far away thunder. Only that thunder would swell on and off. This sound was stable. And soon it wasn´t only the sound. Now Thomas could also feel the ground vibrating under his shoes.

„Whats that?" Jerry shrieked.

Thomas listened harder. The sound was closer now. It came from outside. He stood up and hurried to the window. Through the flying snow that was like a wall around their base, he could see three big shadows that grew bigger and bigger. They approached them slowly but irresistible. They were coming.

„Ehm, Jerry. Could be that we get trouble soon." he said. „You better go to your computer and delete those files, you uploaded last month."

„What? Why? Whats going on?"

„Just do it." Thomas hissed and went to his own computer as fast as he could. There were some things on it, that had to be deleted as well. Secret datas, he and Jerry had hacked because they had been bored. Very secret stuff. His fingers were racing over the keyboard. On his forehead there was sweat coming up, running down his cheeks. Outside he could hear them stop and getting out. He heard them talk. Jerry wined and in his nervousness he threw his cup of coffee off the table. The second when the cup hit the floor and shattered into peaces, the door was thrown open.

Jerry squeaked and jumped off his seat, running away to hide in the next corner.

„Don´t move." one of the men yelled and followed him. The others approached Thomas. They were wearing thick clothes and dark goggles. Thomas couldn´t see their faces but he didn´t need to. He knew exactly, who they were.

„Sir, step back from your poste." one of the men said. „The US government is taking over."

Thomas sighed and pushed his seat back, away from the terminal. He was about to stand up, when the earwig, he still had in his right ear, suddenly made a noise. He frowned.

„Sir, that was an order." the soldier repeated.

„Wait, wait." Thomas said with a raised hand. „I hear something."

The men looked at each other uncertain. Thomas listened. There it was again. He was sure about it. He went to his keyboard and entered some datas. What he saw on his screen the next second, was just stunning. He turned around to the soldiers.

„Gentlemen." he said. „I believe this is for you."

* * *

**Well, so far for now. Lets hear what you think. **

**Thanks for reading. (Oh, and happy holidays)**


	8. Chapter 8 The Scorpion

**Hello and happy new year. This is a good start for the new one, isn´t it?**

**Oh, and before we go on. To answer your question Suewe: I couldn´t write about a film I didn´t like. In my opinion it is a piece of work, done by real geniuses. Funny, intelligent and its just telling a beautiful story. I only hope that I do justice to it with my little outpourings - at least to a certain degree. I hope that answers your question.**

**All right. Now lets go on. Here we go.**

* * *

**The Scorpion**

Susan stood at the edge of the canyon, looking into it with eagle eyes. He had to be there somewhere. She knew she saw him earlier. It was strange. She had never expected B.O.B. to be so tricky. Of course he had some opportunities when it came to hiding in small crevices, since he could deform himself into every form that was necessary to get through. But that he was so good, was truly a surprise.

Link and Dr. Cockroach were looking for him as well. She looked over to them and waved, but neither of them had spotted B.O.B. yet. It was odd. They couldn´t even find a brainless blue blob in the desert. Especially Dr. C seemed to be frustrated. He who had figured out Links method, had no idea what to do with B.O.B.´s.

Finally they gave up and called for B.O.B. to come out. Their blue friend floated out of a very long and very thin crack that was half covered with dry grass. He collected himself and laughed happily at them when he was finished.

„I don´t understand this." Dr. Cockroach morned. „How is it possible that B.O.B. is better at this than I am? How?"

„That is easy." B.O.B. told him. „You just mustn´t think. Thats all. I never think."

Dr. Cockroach buried his face in his little hands as if he was crying and shook his head. Link lay a hand on the desperate Doc´s shoulder.

„I know, pal." he said. „Its hard to loose against Mr. Brainless."

B.O.B. just laughed at this in his usual happy mood. Why shouldn´t he? He had won the game after all. The only thing Susan could do, was the same like Dr. Cockroach. Shaking her head in astonishment. She really had underestimated B.O.B.

But it felt good to be out again, even if it meant to loose the game against B.O.B. Dr. Cockroach had begged her to stay at the base but she had been determined to go. The moving was doing her good. Not even Dr. Stevens had said anything against it, as long as she had promised him to do it slowly and not to grow. So they went for their training as usual.

Now – B.O.B. still celebrated his victory, giving himself both thumbs up, while Butterflyosaurus cheered for him – she felt a sudden shaking in the ground beneath her feet. A second after she noticed it, all the others went silent as well, listening carefully.

„Did you feel that?" Link asked.

As if to answer that, something came down from the sky, as it seemed out of nowhere, and went right through B.O.B. hitting the ground beneath him. His eye went wide in surprise. When they looked up they faced a huge scorpion. Butterflyosaurus screamed in fear and started to fly away. The scorpion pulled its stinger out of B.O.B. and got ready to hit again. Susan took a step forward, preparing to fight, but in that moment, Dr. Cockroach grabbed her wrist.

„Don´t even think of it." he said and dragged her along with him, out of the range of the stinger. It hit the ground a second after they were gone.

„Run!" Link shouted.

„Let me go." Susan demanded. „I can handle that beast."

„You must not grow, Susan." Dr. C reminded her resolute. „Remember your wound."

They ran into the next crevice to hide before the scorpion. Link and B.O.B. were right behind them. The scorpion chased them and didn´t even give up, when he saw that he couldn´t follow them inside. Instead he started to hit the rocks with his scissors, breaking plenty of them out of the wall. Susan and the others ducked and hurried deeper into the crevice, to not to get buried under the avalanche. Soon the light was gone and the exit blocked.

„Oh, no." Susan cried and coughed against the dust. „We are trapped."

„Don´t worry." Link told her, coughing like her. „There is a whole system of tunnels down here. Just follow the Link. He knows the way."

He led the way through the tunnel, while Dr. Cockroach lightened the way with a small lamp he had installed at the end of his ball pen. He also tried to call in the base, but something in the walls blocked his signal.

„Bloody hell!" he cursed. „I´ll have to wait until we come out."

„What will be in exactly one minute." Link said and pointed at the light that came from far ahead. „If that is not a train, I believe we are close to the exit."

They walked a little faster and finally reached the exit of the tunnel. It turned out to be a crack on the other end of the canyon. From that place they could see the mountain that marked the place of Area 52. They also saw the scorpion. It crawled along the rocks, obviously heading for the mountain.

„Its going to attack the base." Dr. Cockroach cried and tried to call in to warn them. The result was the same as before. There was only static in his ear.

„We have no time for that." Susan said and ran out of the crevice before anyone could say a word.

„No! Susan!" Dr. C cried after her. „Don´t! The wound!"

„I have to!" she yelled back at him without slowing down. She already had started to grow.

With that she was already too far ahead for them. Dr. Cockroach kept calling for the base. They couldn´t do anything but keep running and hope to catch up with her.

Susan reached the scorpion when it was already almost at the base and threw a big rock at it. God, I know that from somewhere, she thought. The scorpion turned around and screamed angry.

„Come here, Beasty." she called it and threw another rock. This second hit really made it angry and it came at her very fast. Susan had to jump to avoid the stinger, when it came down at her. It came down again and again. Susan felt exhausted very fast. She skipped away so it couldn´t reach her anymore but instead of following her, it just shot its poison after her.

Over her Butterflyosaurus roared and caught the attention of the scorpion.

„Butter, be careful!" she cried. „Don´t get near it! It shoots poison!"

Butterflyosaurus shot his web at the scorpions stinger and pasted it over with it. With that it couldn´t shoot any more. Problem solved.

„Yes." Susan cheered. „Clever boy."

But only because it couldn´t shoot anymore, didn´t mean that it wasn´t dangerous anymore. Its scissors were still sharp and it tried to get Susan with them now. Susan managed it to jump at the back of the beast and grabbed its tail. She rode it for a while, clinging to the tail like a cowboy to the saddle. But then she suddenly began to feel dizzy. The next sudden movement threw her off and she landed in the sand. The scorpion came upon her. Even if she had wanted to fight back, it was impossible. Her vision already went black. Somewhere between two breaths she realized that there was a thick and warm liquid that covered her belly. Blood, it shot through her mind. I´m bleeding. She slowly started loosing conciousness. God, she thought. He was right. I should have listened to the Doc.

The next thing she heard was the sound of the snapping scissors over her and then there was a whooshing sound right next to her face. She smelled gasoline and then she heard Mongers voice, yelling at the scorpion: „Get away from her! I am here! Come on, you oversized crap! Try to get me!"

It worked. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the scorpion followed Monger. The General made several quick maneuvers to avoid the scissors and the stinger that still came down, even if it was pasted over. Dr. C, who had finally arrived, supported him by running back and forth in front of the beast as fast as a flash. Its scissors hit the ground several times, missing him about just a few inches. At last it was fed up with the whizzing Cockroach and decided to chase only Monger. It followed him very fast and almost got him, when Butterflyosaurus shot a string at the General and pulled him out of its reach.

„Yeah, thats good." the General cheered and tried to climb up that string. Half way up he had to catch his breath. The string of the big moth had pasted over his jetpack, so he carried the weight of it and the string along with him.

„Phooo." he exhaled. „Thats not what I was used to, fifty years ago."

He threw a look back to the ground. The scorpion still followed him. But now it was far away enough from the base and from Ginormica to get through with the plan. He put out his radio and called te base.

„Guns ready! Fire at will! Bomb this thing out of my desert!" Then he turned to Butterflyosaurus and yelled: „Hard up! Hard up! Its gonna get hot here very soon!"

Butterflyosaurus roared and soared as fast as he could. Monger looked up to him and wondered. Did he just say `Check´? God, I actually start to understand him. A moment later he heard a ping and then an explosion. The scorpion screamed and soon after that it was silent again. Monger looked down and was satisfied.

„Good work, men!" he called in. „And with that the desert is about one canyon richer!"

He looked over to the place where Ginormica still lay on the ground and forgot his joy.

„Bring us back there!" he yelled at Butterflyosaurus but the moth was already on his way. When they landed, he tried to run the rest of the way but got caught in the string and fell down.

„Goddammit!" he yelled and tried to free himself. He didn´t make it. He could see Ginormica how she tried to stand up and slipped. Her friends had to jump to not get to buried under her.

„Base. Get a crane out here, immediately." he ordered. „Ginormica needs help." But then he saw that she shrank again and called a second time. „Forget the crane. Inform Dr. Stevens that he gets a patient." he said. Link took Susan in his arms and carried her away into the base. Monger was still caught in the moth string.

„Hey, monsters!" he yelled. „Could someone please help me out of here, for cry out loud?"

B.O.B. and Dr. C turned around surprised. Then B.O.B. smiled widely and hurried to him.

„I help you." he said and gave Monger a big slimy hug, so he could slip out of the string. Monger lay on the ground, the blue slime all over him and groaned. „Thank you B.O.B." he said.

„Any time." B.O.B. answered happily and went away.

Monger shook his hand and some of the slime splatted away from him. „God." he groaned. „What was my crime?"

...

When he got to the clinic of the base, he found the monsters waiting in the observation room. Susan was in the treating room on the other side of the glas, lying on a table surrounded by doctors.

„Whats the matter with her?" he demanded to know. He still had B.O.B.´s slime all over his body but right now he didn´t pay any attention to that.

„I´m afraid the growing ripped open her biopsy wound." Dr. Cockroach explained and it was obvious how concerned he was. „They already prepare for the operation."

„Operation?"

Dr. Cockroach nodded.

„Why don´t you make this?" Monger asked. „That was your biopsy."  
„For the biopsy I only had to use a machine." Dr. C explained. „This needs a real doctor. I´m a mad scientist. Not a surgeon."

Monger understood. He looked through the window into the operating room. „How are her chances?" he wanted to know.

„They will do their best." was all Dr. C could answer him.

Monger sighed. Then he reached for the button that connected him with the room on the other side.

„Ginormica." he called in his best General Monger tone. All doctors turned around in surprise. Susan moved her head in his direction. She was close to loose conciousness but she could still see him, he just knew that. He said: „You are going to make it. Thats an order."

She smiled weakly at him and it broke his heart to see her that way. So vulnerable and helpless. Then she was asleep and the doctors went to work on her.

...

Susan lay in a slight artificial coma. Dr. Stevens said it was the safest way to make sure her wound would heal in an appropriate way. They could wake her up in a little while, but until then it was safer for her to let her sleep. Dr. Cockroach stood in the observation room outside of her room and watched the nurse taking care of her. He still felt guilty for what had happened. Consciously he knew he wasn´t responsible but it didn´t help. She was his friend and now she lay there on that steril bed, in that steril room, no motion at all and even if the doctors told him that she was stable, it felt like she would struggle between life and death.

He was so in his thoughts that he barely heard that someone had approached him. Finally he noticed the young woman that stood behind him in respectful silence. He turned halfway around to her.

„I´m sorry to disturb you, Doctor." Dr. Simmons said.

Dr. C sighed. „Its all right. What is it?"

Simmons threw a short look through the glass to Susan. It was obvious that she felt uncomfortable. Then she said: „I had a call from my friend in Massachusetts. He arranged an appointment for you with one of his professors at the M.I.T."

Dr. Cockroach blinked in surprise. That was the last thing he had expected in that moment.

„You can´t really expect me to take care of that now." he said and lay a lot into the word `now´, gesturing in Susan´s direction.

Simmons followed his gesture doubtful considering. She said: „I understand that it is not easy for you … But she is stable. Dr. Stevens has her under his care and he is truly the best doctor, you could wish for her. You on the other hand can´t do anything at all anyway." She hesitated when she saw Dr. Cockroaches reaction. „Listen." she went on. „I can´t make you do it. But this is probably the one chance you will have the next ten years or so. I´m sure Ms. Murphy would tell you the same."

Dr. Cockroach lowered his head and finally turned back to the window and looked at Susan thoughtful. Behind him the young Dr. Simmons was unsettled by his reaction. When she saw no further talk coming up, she dropped her dark eyes in disappointment.

„I call it off." she informed Dr. Cockroach quietly.

She was already at the door when Dr. Cockroach called her back. Simmons waited, unsure what he would say. Finally he followed her to the door.

„You are right." he said. „I´m coming."

Simmons was barely able to hide her joy about this decision. Dr. Cockroach had no choice but to like that las for her enthusiasm. „When is the appointment?" he asked her.

„Tomorrow at four p.m."

„That early?"

Simmons shrugged. „My friend has a good connection to this professor."

„But … that is too less time." Dr. Cockroach meant, suddenly very hasted. „I have to have more time to prepare. I need to write a speech. I must sketch the plans and blueprints in an appropriate way. I sketched it in B.O.B.´s pizzabox for gods sake!"

„Doc! Doc, stay calm." Simmons tried to calm him down. „That isn´t an official meeting in front of dozens of scientists. Just a meeting with one professor, who agreed to have a look at your invention. He doesn´t even need much of a plan. I´m sure he will be quiet okay with that pizzabox-sketch. Really. He just wants to talk to you."

Dr. Cockroach blinked. „Are you sure." he asked doubtfully.

Simmons smiled. „Yes." she chuckled amused. „It is absolutely inofficial. But its maybe the only appointment he will give you, nevertheless."

Dr. C got the message and straighted his back. „All right." he said. „I´m ready. I … At least I think, I am." Then he thought about something else. „We will need a transporting device."

Simmons blushed a little at this. „Ehm, yeah. That is something that rather you should take care of." she said.

„Me?"

„Well. If I go to the General and ask him for a helicopter, he will most likely deny it … rather fire me. But if you ask him …"

„Understand. Yes of course." Dr. Cockroach gave the young woman a smile. Then he went away, heading for the office of the General. The whole way, he couldn´t stop thinking. His thoughts were racing, he almost felt dizzy. When he finally reached the General´s office, he shyly knocked at the half open door. Monger jumped out of his seat when he saw him.

„Doc. What is it?" he asked alarmed.

„I would like to have a talk with you." Dr. Cockroach said and stepped in. „Its a private matter."

Monger sat down again, obviously released. Dr. Cockroach realized that his first thought must have been, that he had come to bring news about Susan. Of course, the General knew about the diagnosis. It was understandable that he hoped for changes the same way they all did. For a moment, Dr. Cockroach felt guilty again, that he wanted to leave while Susan was still out. But Simmons was right. He had to take this chance. Monger offered him the chair on the other side of his desk and he sat down.

„What is it?" the General asked.

Dr. C explained his wish. Monger listened to him patiently with the most thoughtful face, the Doc had ever seen on him. When he was finished, the General sat behind his desk, not saying anything at all. His fingers were playing with the pen he had hold since Dr. C had come in. The feather tapped at the table again and again with an unnerving steady clack, clack, clack. Dr. Cockroach became smaller and smaller in his chair.

„I know." he said. „that this is a rather unfitting moment for such a request. And I would prefer to do it under different circumstances if I had a choice. But … just staying here and staring useless at Susan´s sickbed is surely not helpful. For neither of us."

Monger reacted in a strange way to his last words and made him regret that he had said them at all. Then the General stood up and walked around the table, his hands behind his back.

„Actually I´m rather willing to grant your request." he said and walked over to the door and closed it. „But before I do that, I need you to answer me a question."

Dr. Cockroach turned around in his seat, anxious to hear what the question might be. Monger seemed very contemplative.

He said: „Please forgive me when I have to say that so hard. But you are a monster. And you always will be. The world knows about you, but it doesn´t mean that you are assimilated now. You might think that I kept you and the others imprisoned for so long, just because I had to follow orders. Or because I hated you. Thats not the case. Lets be honest, Doctor. How long do you think you would have survived in this world, when you would have been on your own?"

Dr. C couldn´t answer that question but obviously Monger didn´t expect him to answer anyway. He just went on telling him: „They would have killed you, earlier or later. The same with the other monsters. This place protected you and it still does. When you go out now, exposing yourself … What do you think will happen? Your little Dr. Simmons might be idealistic but I doubt that she considered that as well. Do you really believe that they will accept you, just ignoring what you are? That is not quiet human nature."

Now he gave him some time to think. And Dr. Cockroach did think. Yes, Monger was right. He was a monster and he would stay a monster for the rest of his life. There was no cure that could transfer him back. He had tried for years. In this moment he remembered Links words after the party with the Murphys. _`We could save every city on this planet and they will still treat us the way, they always treated us. Like monsters.´_ He knew, he was right. Of course he did. But there was also something else he knew. Finally Dr. Cockroach stood up and walked over to Monger.

He said: „I know human nature, General. But let me ask you a question as well."

Monger nodded.

„When do you think, we can expect a change in how humans sees us, when we don´t start now?"

Monger blinked in surprise. Dr. C said: „I know that there are a lot of examples in history that taught us, that great changes are only possible when somebody dares to do the first step. I´m willing to make this first step."

Monger looked at him. Understanding and shocked the same time. He surely hadn´t expect to hear something like that. Not from Dr. Cockroach. Not in this office. Not in this life. Finally he nodded.

„All right Doc." he said. „Good luck." he opened the door for him and Dr. C left the office.

...

The next morning Dr. C and the young Ms Simmons climbed into the helicopter, Monger had let prepare for them. Link, B.O.B. and even Butterflyosaurus were there, to give him their good bye.

It was odd, but somehow Dr. C had the feeling that Link was really serious and contemplative for a change. Was he concerned, after all? B.O.B. added him two thumbs up and a wide happy smile. But it was Mongers good bye that remained the longest in Dr. Cockroach´s head, to be painfully remembered later.

He shook his hand and said: „I hope you know that most of these people, we talked about, got killed for their bravery."

He looked straight into his eyes and just knew that the Doc understood. He gave him a respectful nod, that was answered the same way. "Take care at your first steps." the General said.

Dr. Cockroach followed Dr. Simmons into the helicopter and together they started up into the sky and turned around to head for Massachusetts.

* * *

**All right. So far for now. Let me know what you think and bye until next week.**


	9. Chapter 9 Decisions

**Decisions **

The room in which Susan still lay on her sickbed was quiet. The only sound that surrounded her was the permanent beeping of the machine that measured her heartbeat and the low buzzing sound of the machines itself. She was asleep. Still. For five days now, she was lying in that artificial coma, breathing steadily but pale like a dead body. Dr. Stevens had been concerned about that for a while but since there had been no worsening of her condition because of that, he had put it on the simple lack of motion and fresh air that the young woman was used to. He saw no reason to be concerned. His staff was watching her datas on three different terminals. If anything should change, they would be with her in less than thirty seconds. No, there was really nothing that couldn´t be handled on a simple artificial coma. Just a few more days and they would wake her up anyway. He would remain ready for anything of course. He always did. But honestly he didn´t expect any problems. Everything was just perfect.

He checked her datas one last time and wrote it down on his file. Then he left the room. His next visit was in ten hours from now and he would use them to get some sleep. It was nine a.m.

After the doctor was gone, the room was silent again. For a while there was nothing else but the sleeping patient lying in that shady half light of her room. If someone would have looked at the scene from outside, he would have had the impression to look into a pocket between time and space. A shut down sphere where no other being, except of the one that was occupying it, was allowed to enter. A holy place, that must not be disturbed, no matter what the reason might be.

A door was opened. Not the door to the room itself. Just the one that led into the observation room behind the window. For a moment there was a bright light that fell from the lamps outside into the room, illuminating the instruments and on the other side of the window, even a part of Susan´s bed.

The door was closed again and everything was as before. The visitor just stood there, looking through the window, not doing or saying anything.

He had been here for five days now. Always looking, always waiting. With no result. She wouldn´t wake up. Not on her own. The doctors would have to do it. This wasn´t the fairy tale of the sleeping beauty who would wake up magically only because of a kiss. She would wake up as soon as the doctors would stop the infusion of whatever it was, they used to keep her sleeping. It would be a drug that would wake her up, the same way it had let her fall asleep. There was nothing romantic on that and there surely was nothing in it, that would help him, feel better. Happy endings were exclusive only for fairy tales, where the hero safes the princess and they finally would live happily ever after, together with all their friends that had helped them defeat the evil witch.

He sighed. There was no shiny hero here and the heroine would not ride to her castle on a white horse. The dragon was dead but so was she. At least almost. Where was the victory of good in this? Wasn´t it supposte to end in a different way? Why did it happen this way? It wasn´t fair. After all these years – fifty years in this facility – things had changed at last and for a while he really had dared to believe, that it would become good at the end. And now? Where was the happy end?

He kept telling himself, that it would be all right, though. Susan would wake up in a couple of days and everything would be the same again. At least almost. But it didn´t matter how often he told himself that. It didn´t change the sinking feeling inside of him, that something definitely did change forever. Something that couldn´t be made undone. He had no idea what it was. But he knew one thing for sure. Something had changed. And whatever it was, it had just started. He never had told anyone about this, but he had this gift to guess things. An instinct for trouble that never failed him his entire life. And now it told him that there was trouble coming up. Oh yeah. Big fat trouble, you bet. He could just hope that Ginormica would be back and strong enough when the time was up. With her being weak and half knocked out, he was not sure if he would be ready for the fight either. And a fight was coming. No doubt.

He sighed and turned around to leave the room. It was useless to stay any longer. He pushed the button at the door and it went open. With heavy steps he went outside, his tail weeping over the floor behind him like an old broom. He felt tired. Was it just him or was the air in this base getting colder lately? He shivered.

He went away, without noticing that someone saw him leaving. The General watched the fish-man until he vanished around the corner. Sometimes he wished, he would be better in comforting people. But when he was honest with himself, he would rather make it worse if he would try. Plus he knew that there was nothing he could say anyway. He wouldn´t want anyone to tell him that everything would be all right again either. If anyone would dare to tell him that, he would rather slam him to the ground and ask him, where the hell, he got that idea from. No, it was not a good idea to say something. It never was.

He looked at the door that led to Susan´s sickbed. With a last look down the hallway, where Link had vanished, he opened it and went in. He remained behind the glass the same way Link had done it before. It was hard enough to see her that way. Crossing the line into the same room was just impossible. He sighed deeply, his hands resting on the windows frame.

„Wake up, little Debby." he whispered. „They´re waiting for you."

...

The helicopter landed at the field right at the university´s area. Dr. Cockroach and Simmons got out. A young guy was heading for them, waving. Simmons waved back at him.

„Thats my friend, Benny." she told. „The one that arranged the appointment."

Dr. Cockroach didn´t respond. He was too excited by what he saw. The area of the university was huge. Everywhere he could see buildings, some in very strange forms. They looked modern and artificial as if an abstract artist had created them. Others were quiet old and classic. The dominating building was covered with a huge dome. That was the building they were heading for now.

The area was crowded with students, who had halted on their way, when they had heard the helicopter coming. Now that they saw who – or what – was coming along, they gasped, their eyes wide in shock. Some steps from the helicopter, Simmons´ friend joined them. The two of them high fived each other like it would be a normal handshake.

„Hey, Benny." she greeted him. „What´s up? How´s your sister?"

„Joon is all right." he answered smiling wide. "I must say, you know how to enter the place. Nice taxi cap." Then he faced Dr. C. „So. And you are the Doc, hu?"

Dr. Cockroach wasn´t sure what to answer. But it seemed not necessary anyway. Benny already had turned around, his hands in his pockets and led the way to the big building at the end of the lawn. The dome was hold by a line of massive pillars. The letters imprinted in the stone above them read: MASSACHVSETTS INSTITVTE OF TECHNOLOGY. Dr. Cockroach felt a sudden awestruck when he realized that he was about to enter this time-honored building.

Some of the students started to whisper and without exception every one of them skipped back, creating a free zone, where Dr. Cockroach and his companions walked through until they reached the building. He could have told himself that they created this way for them because they wanted to show their respect. But it was useless trying that. He saw their faces and knew that they did it because they didn´t want to come closer to him than it was necessary.

They entered the building and Benny led them up to the third floor. When the doors of the elevator opened, a group of students stood in front of it, waiting. When they saw Dr. Cockroach, the group splittet and at least half of them ran away immediately. The other half didn´t run but kept a greater distance, staring at the strange visitor with a mixture of fascination and disgust.

„What are you guys looking at?" Benny yelled at them and opened his arms to show himself. „Never saw a rock star dressed as a nerd? Hey, Stacy. You never called me again either. Wasn´t nice of you."

The girl he had addressed flushed and walked away with a red face.

„Never mind." Simmons told Dr. Cockroach. But she was very embarrassed by the behavior of the students herself. Dr. Cockroach got the feeling that he rather had to comfort her than she him. They reached a hallway. A sign told them that they now entered the department for medical technique. Halfway through the hallway three students crossed their way. A boy and two girls. They were busy discussing something and didn´t notice Dr. Cockroach until they were almost at him. They looked up and the girl in the middle started to scream right away. She skipped back and slipped over her own feet, falling to the ground. She struggled to get farther away by crawling backwards, screaming all the way. Her friends followed her until she cowered in a corner, crying and sobbing.

Dr. Cockroach stared at her in shock. „Please." he said reaching out his hands to calm her down. „I won´t hurt you, Miss. Please you mustn´t …"

But instead of calming down, she pressed herself even harder against the wall, shivering and crying louder. Her boyfriend had lay an arm around her shoulder. He turned around to Dr. Cockroach with an angry face.

„Just go away from her." he told him. „Go. Leave."

Dr. Cockroach did what he said. Simmons and Benny were as startled as he was.

„Mr. Carson." a voice called behind them. They turned around and saw an older man standing in a door. He had looked at Benny in the first place but now he noticed Dr. Cockroach and his eyes went wide. Benny hurried over to him.

„Ari." he urged Simmons and dragged her and Dr. C with him.

„Ehm, Professor." he started, looked back to the crying girl and decided it was better to have the talk inside. He pushed the man inside. Dr. Cockroach and Simmons followed.

Back in his bureau the man trembled backwards until his legs hit the desk. He sank down onto its edge, coming to rest in a half sitting position.

„Holy cow." he gasped. „Y... You are the Dr. Cockroach. I saw you on TV."

„Well." Dr. Cockroach chuckled nervous. „I wouldn´t call myself `The Dr. Cockroach´. But the name is correct."

„You didn´t tell him?" Simmons asked her friend.

„My. It can be that I forgot to mention some details." Benny said. „But hey. We are here, aren´t we? Come on Ari. Thats the way I work."

Simmons rolled her eyes.

„I´m very grateful that you agreed to this meeting." Dr. Cockroach addressed the Professor.

The old man looked puzzled. „What?" he asked confused. He still wasn´t over the first shock of seeing a big bug in human form in his bureau.

„Professor Smith." Benny urged a little embarrassed. „The invention, I told you about."

„The invention?" Smith needed another moment to get it. Then he jumped up. „Oh yes, the invention." he looked around as if he was looking for something. Then he paused and thought. Finally it hit him. „Oh. Oh, it is you." he cried. „Oh, please excuse me. I … You are the inventor, Mr. Carson told me … Oh, god."

Dr. Cockroach was more startled than ever. That was definitely not what he had expected.

„Never mind." Benny whispered at him. „He´s that way a lot." Louder he said: „Perhaps its the best you would just show him that thing you build."

„Oh, yes." Dr. Cockroach agreed and took the bag on the table, where he carried the device. „You see, I didn´t build it. Not in this sense of the word. I just took what was already there and … well changed it a little."

Smith came to the table and looked at the device very interested.

„Would you want to see the plans?" Dr. Cockroach offered.

„Oh yes, I would." Professor Smith answered and took the bottom of the pizzabox from him. He turned it around, puzzled. When he recognized what it was, he smiled childish. „Talk about Déjàvu." he said.

The next ten minutes they were busy examining the device. Smith would ask questions over questions, how that part was build and how Dr. Cockroach had figured out, where he had to connect two parts to change the working of the whole thing.

„What is that?" he asked at a certain point and pointed at an improved connection that looked like some sort of a cable.

„That, oh. That is a paper clip." Dr. Cockroach answered and when the Professor looked at him in disbelieve, he shrugged. „Sometimes I have to improvise."

Smith shook his head. „I doubt that it will be easy to explain to the patent department, that it was a paper clip that brought the big breakthrough." he said.

Dr. C and Simmons hold their breaths. „You … you mean it could really …?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

Smith chuckled and took off his glasses. „Young man, I believe there is no question at all." he said. „I still don´t understand all of it but my first impression is …"

In that moment the phone started to ring. Professor Smith turned around and looked at the phone like it would have said something insulting instead of just ringing.

„Just a second." he excused himself and answered the call. „Smith." he said and listened. „Yes, sir he is here. … No sir. … But sir, I have … No, not at all. … Sir, are you serious?" The last question he had asked rather angry. „No." he said. „No, I refuse to do that. Sir? Hallo?"

He looked at the receiver and took it back at the phone. When he looked back at Dr. Cockroach he was very upset. „I … I´m afraid the principal of our school is not so crazy about the fact that you are here." he sighed. „He called the police. They are on their way to take you away from here."

„What?" Simmons and Benny cried unisono. „He can´t do that."

„I´m afraid he can." Smith said. He thought for a moment. „Go." he urged. „Hurry. You can make it before they are here. I hold them for you."

„Thats not necessary." Dr. Cockroach objected calmly. „They won´t take us in custody. And even if they do … it won´t be for long. I don´t want you to get trouble because of me."

„But Dr. Cockroach." Simmons objected.

Dr. C took a hand on her shoulder to ease her. The young doctor went quiet reluctantly.

„I want to thank you." Dr. C said to the professor. „For your kindness."

Smith thought and one could tell that his thoughts were racing. Then he said: „Let it here. Your device. I´ll take care of it for you. I promise that I will try everything I can to bring it to the patent department. In your name, of course."

Dr. C hesitated. Should he really do it? Not that he had a reason to distrust that man. But there was still something left in him, that cried for him to step back. To get back into the dark, where a Cockroach like him belonged to, before it was too late.

„They´re here." Benny cried from the door.

Smith hurried to pack the device back into the bag and hid it behind his board. The next second the door was ripped open and three police men entered the room. As soon as they saw Dr. Cockroach, they aimed their weapons at him.

„No!" Simmons cried.

„Sir. We have order to escort this one out of the building." one of them told Smith.

„Take your weapons down." Smith demanded and stepped forward. For some reason he was much braver now than he had been when he first saw Dr. Cockroach. „This is a school and not a shooting match." he cried at the police men.

„Sir. I have my orders." the officer repeated.

„Its all right. I´ll follow you." Dr. Cockroach chipped in. He turned to Smith once more. „Professor. Thank you again. I would be happy to agree with your suggestion." With that he threw a short look to the hidden bag. Smith understood what he tried to say. He would keep it secret until further notice.

„If you would excuse me now." Dr. Cockroach said turning to the police men. „Me and my colleague have to catch a helicopter."

With that he went out, associated by a very upset Dr. Simmons, escorted by three heavy armed police men and watched by hundreds of curious students, who followed them with their eyes until they were back in the air, heading back for the Nevada desert. The only thing Dr. Cockroach was able to think of, was: Monger was right. God in heaven, he was right.

...

„You did what?" Link cried after Dr. C had told them, what had happened on his trip. „You just left your invention with that guy? Are you crazy? How do you know that he doesn´t bring it to the market under his own name?"

„I´m well aware of the fact that it was a risky decision." Dr. C agreed. „But I took it nevertheless."

Link shook his head in disbelieve. That was the prove, he thought. The second sign on the fast darkening sky of their future. First Susan and now the Doc. Everything seemed to get messed up lately. He didn´t like it, where all this seemed to go. Not at all.

„I knew you were crazy, pal." he said pointing at Dr. C with his finger. „But that you are that insane is new for me. I alway thought you could think. Have you any idea …?"

„All right, now you listen to me." Dr. Cockroach interrupted him suddenly very angry. „You don´t have to tell me, that it is uncertain what I did. I know exactly what I am. But this man treated me with respect and it is my proper right to accept that he really meant it."

After he was finished, there was a tensing silence between them. Link´s eyes jumped to a point behind Dr. Cockroach. When he turned around, he saw General Monger in the door. It was obvious that he had heard the whole argument.

„Doctor." he said. „May I have a word with you?"

Dr. C stood up and followed him outside. They didn´t walk very far. As soon as the door was closed, Monger stopped and faced him.

„I heard about what happened in Massachusetts." he said. „Everything all right?"

„I´m fine, General." Dr. C assured him. „I knew something like this had to happen. It is just … You know … Waiting for something and then actually facing it … thats a different thing."

„Are you sure, you are all right?" Monger asked again.

Dr. C nodded.

„´n´ I also heard that you left the device there." Monger went on.

„General, please. I know what you want to say. But it was my decision."

Monger looked at him considering. Finally he nodded at the scientist. „All right, Doctor. I hope we both won´t regret that. But I leave you free hand on this."

„Thanks, General." Dr. Cockroach said touched. „I promise, you won´t regret it."

But he should be wrong with this.

**

* * *

**

**Okay friends. Hope you liked it, even if Susan wasn´t in it this time. **

**Tell me what you think. **

**And to all of you, who are still with me. Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 10 Threats

**Okay everybody. Just one thing about last time: I know it seemed like B.O.B. wasn´t there. But he was. He just didn´t say anything. He was too stunned by what was going on ;-)**

**

* * *

**

**Threats **

Professor Smith was in his lab, working on this really fascinating device Dr. Cockroach had left him. He already had worked out the configuration and transliterated the blueprints from the pizza box into his computer. Now he was busy to complete them. He examined the machine again and added the missing information into his laptop to finish the file, he had build up for it. He was just entering the last information when the door was opened and Mr. Salvar, the principal walked in.

„Herbert." he greeted like he would be surprised to see him. „What are you still doing here? Your shift was over three hours ago."

„I … I was working on something." Smith answered. "Preparation for my next lesson."

Salvar threw a look at the device on the lab-table. It didn´t help that Smith tried to stand right in front of it by coincidence.

„You are not working on that infernal machine, this mutant brought to our school, are you?" Salvar asked him.

„He might be a mutant … or whatever you call it." Smith replied not longer able to pretend the surprised innocent. „But what you did to him was unnecessary. He didn´t do anything."

„He scared over a hundreds of our students." Salvar objected. „And I can´t believe that you actually protect his actions. More than that. That you even support it."

„What actions?" Smith argued. „He was here to have a talk with me, from scientist to scientist. And I agreed to it."

„This insect is no scientist. Its an abnormality and I as the principal of this school, will not allow things like that to disturb our regular operating schedule."

„Nothing disturbs the …"

„Professor Smith." Salvar interrupted him unfriendly. „I won´t say this twice. You will drop this crazy experiment of yours immediately."

„You can´t make me do this." Smith objected. „This is my free time."

„But you are on the ground of this school."

Smith shook his head. „I won´t do this." he said.

Salvar raised an eyebrow and started to walk up and down slowly. „I hoped you wouldn´t make me taking more drastic steps." he said. „But if you really are that stubborn, then you leave me no choice. I beg you one last time. Is this," he pointed at the device with an expression of disgust. „… really more important than a promising carrier?"

Smith frowned at this. „You can´t fire me." he said. „I have a permanent poste, authorized in the budget. You can´t do anything against it."

„I´m not talking about you." Salvar responded calmly. „Your young friend Mr. Carson. He was the one who actually allowed this creature to enter the school. He arranged the meeting, didn´t he?"

„Leave the boy out of this." Smith demanded. „If you are afraid of new things, then this is your character mistake. You don´t need to …"

„I would be careful if I were you." Salvar said, now getting angry. „You call it character mistake. I call it preservation. The preservation of what made this school and this country special."

„Is tolerance and the constitution not what makes this country special?" Smith asked. „Treating everybody equal, no matter where he comes from or what his background might be?"

„I won´t debate with you any longer." Salvar decided. „Its your decision. This insect … or the poor and promising Mr. Carson. He has a sister that needs special medical care doesn´t he? Do you really want to upset her by costing her brother his future?" He looked at Smith with cold eyes. „Its in your hands and your hands only."

Smith hesitated. He was an old man and a fight like this was something, he would have won twenty years ago. Not now. Not anymore.

„Come on, Herbert." Salvar said gently. He already knew that he had won. „You are tired. Go home and rest. And tomorrow morning you will feel better. Good enough to come to work and go on teaching young people for the next twelve years. Until you finally can retire in peace. Don´t you and your wife plan to travel the world for five years now? Don´t destroy that."

Smiths head was suddenly too heavy to look up at Salvar. He nodded defeated and went over to the table to collect his stuff.

„Leave it." Salvar ordered him. „I´ll take care of that."

Now Smith got a clue why all this really happened. He stared at Salvar in disbelieve.

„You have no right to do that." he said, but he was already too tired to sound strong enough. „You know that."

Salvar didn´t give a respond to that. He just repeated what he already had said: „Go home. Sleep. And forget about this crazy idea."

Smith looked into this cold and determined blue eyes, of a man he once considered to be his friend. What he saw now, was something he didn´t know and didn´t want to know either. It frightened him. At last he had no choice but to give up and leave.

...

Dr. Stevens opened the door to the sickroom of Ginormica. It was seven in the morning and it was time for his first visit today. When he entered the anteroom, he found Dr. Cockroach standing there. He turned around when he heard the door.

„Oh, Dr. Stevens." he greeted.

„Dr. Cockroach." Stevens returned the greet. „What are you doing here so early?"

„I ehm … I just wanted to have a look." he said. „I couldn´t sleep and so I decided, to pay a visit. I didn´t plan to muddle around in your busyness Doctor. I know you take excellent care of her."

Dr. Stevens paused. „I didn´t say anything about that." he said surprised.

„I know. But I wanted to point that out anyway." Dr. Cockroach said.

Stevens nodded. „Thanks." he said and took Susan´s file from the hook to have a look at it. „Its not that I´m not used to visitors in here." he told him while he skimmed the notes the nurses had made over the night. „I can say, that this is probably the most asked patient, I ever had. Who wonders. The one giant woman on earth, that saved the earth from an invasion and all this. And now this new development."

„Sure." Dr. Cockroach said a little uneasy. Stevens noticed the tone of his voice and looked up.

„I didn´t want to say, that this is the only reason why you care." he said. „Its just …"

Dr. C nodded. „She is my friend." he said. „And not just mine."

„I´m sorry." Dr. Stevens apologized. „I´m afraid, I worked far too long for the military. Always thinking quantitative."

Dr. C smiled understanding. „Its all right." he said. „Well, can you tell me, how she is?"

„According to the night nurse, her condition is stable. I still wouldn´t dare to wake her, yet. But it looks good. I check her myself now. If you like, you may accompany me."

„Seriously?" Dr. C asked.

„Why not? You are a doctor as well, aren´t you?"

„Well, I have my PhD but not in medicine."

„Where else, if I may ask?"

„Physic and Technology." Dr. C answered.

Stevens looked down for a moment, then he smiled. „Of course." he said embarrassed. That was something he could have guessed himself. „Anyway." he said. „I have no problems with you being in there with me."

He opened the door and Dr. Cockroach was about to follow him, when the other door went open. It was Simmons who came in, slightly hasted and obviously looking for Dr. Cockroach.

„Doctor." she addressed him. „There is a phone call for you."

„For me?" Dr. C asked surprised.

„Its Professor Smith. He wants to talk to you."

Dr. Cockroach looked over to Stevens. He had no good feeling about that. „I´m afraid I won´t be able to accompany you." he apologized.

Stevens nodded and Dr. C followed Simmons outside.

„Did he say, what it is about?" he asked the young doctor on their way to the office.

„No. He said, he wants to tell you himself." Simmons explained. „Doctor. I don´t like that."

„Don´t worry, las." Dr. C said. „This was and still is my call, not yours."

„I brought you there." she argued.

„And I am very grateful for that." he assured her.

Simmons didn´t seem to be relieved. At least not much. She smiled for him but it didn´t look real. They reached the office and Dr. Cockroach took the receiver.

„Professor?" he said.

„Doctor." a very tired voice answered him. „Its me. Smith. I´m afraid, I have bad news for you. … I don´t know how to tell you."

„The best is, you just start at the beginning." Dr. Cockroach said gently.

„It was Professor Salvar." Smith told him. „The principal of our school. He came in when I was busy deciphering your plans. … I … I´m so sorry, Doctor."

„What happened?"

„He threatened me … and my student. He said he would threw him out of school."

„Benny?" Dr. C asked and behind him Simmons listened up with great attention.

„Yes, Mr. Carson." Smith affirmed. „Salvar told me to drop the … he called it `The Crazy Experiment´. That I would risk everything I ever worked for and … I really don´t remember the rest. Only that he literally chased me out of my lab, made me leave behind everything you gave me. Everything you trusted me with. I´m so sorry, Doctor, I can´t tell you."

„What do you think, did he do with it?" Dr. C asked.

„I don´t know. But I guess, he didn´t just bring it to the garbage." Smith said honestly.

„Understand."

„I´m afraid he will try to publish it under his own name." Smith finally said.

Dr. C nodded though he knew Smith couldn´t see it. He closed his eyes for a moment. It seemed like Links negative prediction came true after all, even if it happened another way than his green friend had expected.

„This is my fault." Smith said. „If I wouldn´t have begged you to leave it behind, none of this would have happened."

„It was my decision, Professor." Dr. C said. „You are not responsible."

„Yes, I am. I could have fought harder."

„You did the right thing." Dr. C assured him. „I want to thank you for everything you did."

There was a sound in the line that somehow sounded like a sob. „If I only could do anything to make this right." Smith said.

„Perhaps you will get your chance." Dr. C answered. „Time will show."

„I hope so." Smith said.

„Thanks for your call. I really appreciate it."

„I´m so sorry, Doctor."

„Good bye, Professor."

„Good bye."

He hung up the phone, leaning on the table for a moment. Behind him, Simmons inched a little closer, an asking and very worried expression on her face. She didn´t hear what Smith had said, but she had a very good guess.

„Doctor?" she asked carefully.

Dr. Cockroach sighed. He was thinking. Thinking about what had happened and how his chances were. But mostly he thought about what Monger had told him, before he had left to go to Massachusetts. And about his own words as well. Was he really ready to take that risk, like he had claimed before Monger? Was he?

He finally turned around to Simmons. The young woman, with the hopeful dark eyes, who had believed in him and still did. No, he thought. The question was not if he was ready. Sometimes faith doesn´t ask you if you are ready.

He sighed. „Do you know a good lawyer, Ariane?" he asked.

...

Butterflyosaurus roared and stopped his circling over the canyon. Link walked out of his hiding place without any effort at all. He waved bored and grumbled: „Right. All right. You got me. Your turn."

Butterflyosaurus and B.O.B. who had arrived laughing but now stopped surprised about Links attitude, exchanged a questioning glance. Not just about the fact that Link just implied that the huge moth should try to hide in one of the small crevices of the canyon. His lack of joy was unusual, even at the training run.

„What´s your problem?" B.O.B. asked almost annoyed. „We didn´t do anything."

„What do you think?" Link snapped. „I don´t like it to get chased out for this stupid training while others, which names I don´t mention, keep themselves away to hang out with their new human buddies. Who they obviously trust so damn much."

B.O.B. leaned over to Butterflyosaurus who landed next to him on the edge of the canyon.

„Who is he talking about?" he whispered as if Link couldn´t hear him.

The fish-ape threw up his hands. „Aaahhh. Who cares?" he cried frustrated. „When the Doc wants to return to his old species, shell he. Who cares? Its his proper right, isn´t it?"

B.O.B. now even more confused than before, asked: „What species?"

„Forget it." Link said and waved in a throw-it-away-gesture. „I´m only out here because its too cold in the facility anyway."

Butterflyosaurus roared concerned at this.

„Yes. I haven´t slept well either." Link answered annoyed.

„Hey!" B.O.B. now cried. „Perhaps you are sick. You should see the doctor. What if you have the same thing that Susan has." The last sentence he almost cried, talking shivering and worried.

„B.O.B." Link interrupted him, more concerned about the blob now. „Stay calm, blue boy. I´m not sick, okay."

B.O.B. calmed down but still looked worried. So did Butterflyosaurus. Link exhaled heavy.

„Can I tell you guys something, without you starting to arguing against it and trying to tell me, why it is poppycock and illogical what I say?" he asked.

„How should I tell you what is illogical?" B.O.B. responded with a wide smile. „I don´t even know what that means."

On other occasions that would have caused Link to grin at the blue blob. But today he didn´t feel like smiling at all. So he just sighed and started to talk, rubbing his neck unconsciously.

„Its that way … Lately I have this feeling. That we will get trouble."

„Trouble?" B.O.B. cried alarmed. „Why? What did we do?"

„Not we." Link said. „I mean in general. We all. I don´t know maybe even … ah whatever."

Butterflyosaurus screamed to make him finish the sentence.

„Well, humans." he said and with a shrug he added: „Earth."

The moth roared again, more quiet this time. Link looked up at him.

„I don´t know." he admitted. „I know that I can´t prove it. Its just a dumb feeling. But I think, we really should do something … I dunno. Maybe warning Monger or something."

„Will you warn Monger or something?" B.O.B. asked honesty interested.

„I´m not sure." Link answered. „He´ll probably say, that I´m just stressed and paranoid."

Butterflyosaurus roared in a very clear questioning way. _`Are you?´_

Link didn´t look up. He tried to think about that possibility very seriously. He looked inward, consulting his inner voice, to tell him if he really was overreacting. Could his troubled mind really have made it up? But the answer was the same. He shook his head.

„No." he said. „I don´t think so."

...

„There. There is the signal again." Thomas took his earwig out and put the signal he had heard on loudspeaker. The agents around him listened, exchanging uneasy glances with each other.

„I analyse it." Jerry said and tipped into his keyboard like mad. Five seconds later, he had the results. „The same like before." he said and looked to Thomas with a painful plead.

„Its definitely sending into space." Thomas said.

The agents looked worried to one of their own. The man in charge, a tall blonde guy in his mid-thirtys, wearing a black suite, straighted his back. He looked worried, too.

„I inform the president." he said. He had just finished, when a sound from the computer caught Thomas´ attention. He turned to his monitor to have a look at it. Then he turned back to the agent.

„Its gone again." he informed him. The man nodded and turned around to make the call.

The signal the men had watched, made its way through space, without being watched any further. It left the solarsystem of earth and a couple of solar seconds later, even the galaxy of milky-way. It went on and on, passing planets, moons and stars, carrying along the message it had to transmit until it finally reached its target.

The big ship lay behind a cluster of broken planets, like a car that was parked behind a junkyard. No one would ever look for it there. An antenna took the signal and transfered it to a big screen inside of the ship. When the monitor suddenly flushed up, a little creature that had lay dosing at the floor, jumped up and started to roar and bark. Its long green head, that would had reminded on a crocodile if a human eye would have seen it, was lifted up to the monitor. It opened its mouth, exposing two lines of rasor sharp teeth. It ducked down like it would prepare to jump, its claws clinging into the ground with an awful scratching sound and its tail hitting through the air behind him like a whip.

A hand, as strange as the creature itself, touched the head of the beast and it calmed down immediately, whining like an earth-dog.

„I know." a female voice, that had once given sound and character to the computer of a certain spacecraft, said. „They found our signal. But don´t worry. I already have everything I need."

The croc-dog fondled its head against the hand. It somehow looked like it would smile at his mistress. But don´t crocodiles always look like they would smile? It opened its mouth and his tongue hung out a little bit. It was a dark blue tongue.

„Patience, my little friend." the female alien said. „We are almost ready." She let go of the croc-dog and turned to the monitor. „Computer." she called.

„Yes, Gallaxessa?" a strong male voice answered.

„Set a course to earth. The time has come to finish what my dumb ex-husband messed up so pityful and incompetent. Now that I found out the weakness of mankind, I will accomplish what he wasn´t able to do himself. And not even Ginormica, the big and strong carrier of the Quantonium, will be able to stop me."

All around her there was a sound of starting machines and engines. Her four eyes glowed in excitement, when she felt the soft humming underneath her tentacles.

„Course to earth set." the computer told her and in the next second, the picture of the meteor-cluster on her screen vanished and was replaced by dozens and dozens of racing stars.

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**Well. Seems like Link was right, hu? Or wouldn´t you say that something is about to come? **

**We´ll find out next week. Maybe. *evil laugh* Oh, I just love it to torture you. **

**Sadistic? Maybe a bit. Why? Because I can.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading. ****See ya!**


	11. Chapter 11 Old Trouble In New Shape

**Hey. Greetings to all newcomers. I guess there are some. Even if they don´t cry out, here! Anyway. Welcome. The same for my constant readers of course. Nice to see you again (and to be seen). Well then. Lets keep going, shell we?**

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**Old trouble in new shape**

„I´m sorry. Could you repeat the name, please?" Amy Dutton asked and stopped with her writing for a moment.

„The name is Dr. Cockroach." the young woman on the other end of the line said.

Amy was confused for a moment. She knew the name but it surely was a different Dr. Cockroach. It was absolutely impossible that the certain monster she had seen on TV, was the one that now was looking for a legally representative. She was a lawyer since nine years and she surely had had a couple of interesting clients but she certainly would never get such an extraordinary client. But that would possibly be the best. She wasn´t sure if she would be able to handle something like that. And why should that mutant need a lawyer, anyway? So no reason to bother about that. She chuckled in silence. What would her new client possibly think if he knew, that she thought of him as this bug headed monster?

„All right, I´ve got it." she said. „Well, Miss Simmons. I can tell you one thing right away. Matters about intellectual property are easy to be handled if you have prove about the original source of the invention. What kind of a machine was it again?"

„We don´t have a name for it yet. But it is a medical device for scanning cells in the human body."

„You mean like in Star Trek?" Amy asked smirking.

„Sort of." Simmons said. „So can you help us? My friend in Washington said you are the best at this."

„Thats very flattering." Amy said. „I hope, I won´t disappoint your trust. Is there any prove you can present, that your friend is the real inventor?"

„Well …" there was some muffled speaking in the line. Miss Simmons talked to someone.

„Hold on a second." Simmons said. Amy waited patiently and then asked: „Is the Doctor with you in the room right now? Perhaps it would be easier if you would let me talk to him directly."

„She wants to talk to you." Simmons said to the other person. There was a moment of silence and Amy somehow got the impression, that this Doctor didn´t want to take the phone. Why, she wondered? What a strange guy that must be. But weren´t all inventors kind of crazy? Always locked up in their labs or garages, totally isolated and probably working all night. Amy realized that she immediately had a picture in her head of a quirky, little man with scrubby grey hair and thick glasses on his nose. The classic image of the nutty professor.

Finally a sound in the line told her that the receiver had been handed over. Here we go.

„Ehm, Miss Dutton?" a male voice asked.

Amy paused, surprised by that voice. It didn´t sound like she had expected it. That man wasn´t an old quirky man. He sounded quiet young and reasonable. But there was something else. The voice on the other end sounded somehow like the one she had heard on TV when … but no, she stopped herself from that crazy thought. You don´t have time for such stupid things now.

„Ehm … Hallo." she said. „Doctor … Cockroach, I assume?"

„Yes, thats right."

„Well, as I already told your friend before. To fight against a case like this, you need to prove that the invention is truly yours."

„How can I do that?"

„Do you have some notes, sketches or even a first construct of the device? Anything that shows the way it took to its final design."

„Oh, but there was no development. I just build it."

„What, just like this?"

„I´m afraid yes, my dear."

There it was again. That strange feeling that she knew the voice.

„But you will have done some sketches, didn´t you." she tried again to keep the point.

„Well … I sketched something on a pizzabox."

That somehow regained her believe in the classic inventor image. She just wondered that it hadn´t been a napkin.

„That is completely all right." she said. „Its not the most usual thing but I´m sure the judge would accept it, if it is ever going to go to a court. But if your prove turns out to be really good, than it might be not even necessary to go that far. Then we can bring down that whole thing just like this."

„Are you serious?"

„I never was more serious in my life, Mr. Cockroach." Amy said smiling and sat down on the edge of her desk. She somehow liked that guy. He seemed to be very humble and that was something she appreciated on people. „Oh, by the way. Your friend forgot to tell me your first name. Would you tell me please? Just for the sake of completeness." She took her pen again, ready to write it down.

He didn´t answer.

„Mr. Cockroach? Are you still there?" she asked.

„I´m afraid I don´t have one." he finally said.

„No what?" Amy asked confused.

„No first name."

Suddenly Amy felt like loosing the floor under her feet. In that moment she just knew it. At least a part of her knew it. Her consciousness on the other hand still refused to believe it. No, it cried. There is another explanation. He is not, he can´t be …

„I´m Dr. Cockroach." the voice told her. „You … You probably saw me on TV a while ago."

Amy felt cold sweat coming to her. Her breath began to feel very heavy. He was about to say it and there was nothing she could do about it to stop him. And then he did. He said: „I´m the monster, Dr. Cockroach."

In that moment Amy almost slipped off her table. In the very last moment she was able to catch herself, but her pen and a couple of papers flew to the ground. She bowed and collected them by instinct.

„Are you still there, Miss Dutton?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

Amy put the papers and her pen back at the desk and sat down. Her legs were shaking. She took a deep breath before she could speak again.

„So, you are telling me … That it is true." she said as calm as she could.

Silence. Then a very careful: „Yes."

Amy blinked while her mind tried desperately to assimilate that information. „You are …" she started but then the sentence got lost on the way.

„Listen." Dr. Cockroach said. „I´m sorry that we bothered you." And with that he was about to hang up.

Amy literally jumped out of her seat. „No, wait!" she cried, realized that she was suddenly standing and sat down again. „I … I´m sorry, if I seemed like … I don´t know how to call it. I don´t deny you being my client, not at all. It is just …" she couldn´t help but chuckled with a mixture of relief and amazement. „I´m sorry but that is just … wow. I barely can believe it."

„Is that a positive reaction?" Dr. Cockroach asked shyly and she could tell that he was smiling.

„I must apologize, Doctor." she said, now much calmer than she had been before. „That was an unprofessional behavior. Yes. I will take your case."

„Thank you so much." Dr. Cockroach said.

„Of course it means … I guess … that it will be difficult for you to come in to my office." she assumed.

„Well. I´m afraid its quiet a way." Dr. Cockroach agreed.

„Thats all right. I often had clients that couldn´t come in because they lived far away. We can comunicate by phone. Could I get a number under which I can reach you?"

Dr. Cockroach explained that he couldn´t give her the number of the facility but she could call Ari if she needed anything. He himself could call her back anytime. Amy was okay with that and noted down Ari Simmons´ number. She promised to take care of the case and to call immediately when she had something. Then they said good bye. Amy hung up the phone and looked at it amazed for at least a minute. Her heart was still pounding like a hammer. Than she stood up and went down the stairs into the living room. Her grandmother, a lusty old woman of seventy-two years, was sitting on the sofa, watching her all time favorite soap opera. Her mother was still at work and wouldn´t come home until six. When Amy came in, the old woman looked up at her, immediately noticing that something was up. Amy sat down next to her with a wide grin.

She said: „You never guess who was on the phone, Granny."

...

In Area 52 Dr. Cockroach hung up the phone almost as shaky as Amy Dutton had been. He was shaky because it truly seemed to work out. Ari stepped a little closer, now that the call was finished and looked at him asking.

„It seems that everything is on its way." he told her.

„Then she took it?" she asked and for a moment she reminded him on Susan, when she was excited about something.

„She did." he told her. „I think, your friend was right. It was a good choice to call her."

Ari seemed relieved. „Thats good." she said.

„But I need to get that pizzabox from professor Smith." he mumbled.

„What?"

„To prove that the invention was mine." he explained. „I only hope, he still has it."

Ari shook her head. „Even if he doesn´t." she said. „I´m a witness. I saw the invention and I can tell that it is from you. If it is necessary, I will repeat that at the court."

Dr. Cockroach was touched by her creed and passion. He truly was lucky to have someone like her standing right next to him in that affair. In a matter of fact, was her conviction the reason why he had decided to take the challenge in the first place. It was infecting. It really was.

The door opened and broke off his thoughts. It was General Monger who came in. He cleared his throat as if he would be afraid of disturb something in the wrong moment. Then he stepped closer.

„I just wanted to ask how it is going, Doc." he said.

„Fine, General." Dr. C told him. Now he was excited. „I just talked to the lawyer, Ari´s friend recommended and I´m happy to tell you, that she agreed to take the case."

„Congratulations." Monger said honestly happy for him. „Who is it?"

„A certain Amy Dutton. She has a private office in Washington and …" Dr. C was about to tell him, but then he noticed a sudden reaction on Mongers face. He somehow blanched by the name. „General? Is everything all right?" Dr. C asked.

„Did you say Amy Dutton?" Monger asked for confirmation.

„Yes." the Doc exchanged a short look with Ari. „Do you know her?"

„No." Monger said and straighted his back. The blanching, if it ever had been there, was gone. „I hope she can help you with your case. Excuse me now. I have work to do."

With that he turned around and went out. Dr. Cockroach and Ari shared an uncertain glance with each other. What a strange reaction.

...

Ami Dutton took her coat and left the house. She was eager to go to work on that cool new case she had. There were some precedents she wanted to check out at the association. Though she doubted that there would be a real fitting precedent for what she had to deal with now. But at least she could use them to quote out of them before the judge. She was so excited that she dropped the keys when she tried to open her car. She took them up again and opened the door.

The sky above was cloudy and in the distance she already heard the thunder rolling. Even the usually so white dome of the Capitol looked grey now. No, Ami thought reluctantly. Not now. She hated it to drive in the rain. Perhaps if she would hurry, she could make it into the city before it was here. She was about to enter the car, when she noticed something strange. This upcoming thunderstorm seemed not quiet normal. It came up much too fast.

While she was still wondering, in the distance behind the roofs of her quarter, brights lightnings came down, striking some places that she couldn´t see. But that wasn´t the strangest thing. Amy waited for the thunder that usually followed after a lightning strike. No, that ALWAYS followed after a lightning strike. But not this time. There was none. It was scary.

She hesitated. Should she really drive now? With such a crazy weather ahead? But before she could think of it longer, one of those strange lightnings hit so close that it blinded her for a moment. She shrieked and ran back into the house as fast as she could. When she entered the living room, her Granny had just stood up from the sofa, looking at her puzzled.

„What is going on?" she asked. „The electricity went off."

Amy noticed that the TV was out. She had just enough time to wonder, what the heck was going on. Then another lightning stroke right outside their house. Amy and her Granny threw themselves to the ground, screaming in fear.

...

„Mr. President! Mr. President!" the man with the many files in his armes cried desperately, when he entered the Oval Office of the White House.

„Oh, no. Not again." the President said more annoyed than worried. „Can´t this wait? Dallas is about to start in a few minutes."

„Mr. President, they already attacked our cities." the man reported and lost a couple of his files. On another occasion he would have tried to catch them or at least pick them up. But this time he didn´t even notice that they went away. „We need to do something immediately." he cried.

„All right, all right." the President said. He tipped his forefinger against his big chin, thinking hard. Or at least pretending to do so. Then his expression became very serious – in a very melodramatic way. He looked at the man before him predatory. „Give me Monger at line one." he said.

„Yes sir, Mr. President."

The man turned around and gave another man, who sat in front of a monitor, a signal. This man turned to his console and started to enter the codes. Suddenly something went wrong. The system and the lights all around started to flicker.

„Whats going on?" the President asked.

The door burst open again and two Secret Service agents rushed in. „Sir." one of them cried. „We must bring you to the bunker immediately."

„We are under attack." the second one added.

The President was out of the door before they had even finished their talking and hurried to the elevator that would bring him down to the bunker under the White House. The Secret Service agents had to catch up with him. He had just pushed the button, when the whole energy went down and everything went dark around them.

„Agent Howell calls headquarter." the first Agent spoke into his sleeve. „Come in. Come in, please. I can´t reach them."

A grumbling sound was over them. No one of them could see what it was but all of them ducked their heads instinctive. Something was above the top of the White House. Then something outside burst and made a noise like an explosion. The President jumped into the arms of Agent Howell, while the other agent screamed: „They are heeeeere!"

...

In Area 52, Monger sat in his office in front of his computer. On the screen there was a file, including a picture of a certain 29 year old woman called Amy Dutton. Monger sighed. He had hoped so much, that the name was just coincidence. How many Amy Duttons could be there all around America? Surely enough. Why, he asked himself. Why couldn´t she be one of those? Why not? Why had it to be her?

It was almost scary. They always come back to you, he thought. No matter how much you try to avoid it. So long. So long he had kept distance. Now it seemed that everything was supposte to come together at the end. If he had been a believer, he would have said, it was for him to be punished. Fortunately he didn´t believe in god or a predetermined faith. That meant that he could be able to handle the situation. She was Dr. Cockroach´s lawyer. No need for him to be a part of it. If he would keep distance, there would be no problem at all. No one needed to know.

He pushed a button to scrawl further on the page but there was no reaction. He tried again with the same result. Suddenly the computer screen flickered and then went black. Monger jumped up in surprise. What the hell was that supposte to mean? He was about to go out to ask the technicians what they were paid for, when his door burst open and the technicians came to him.

„General!" the man yelled. „General, all our systems are down."

„What?"

„I don´t know what happened. Suddenly everything went blank." the man explained.

„I can see that myself." Monger responded. „There must be a reason. For what are you guys here? Find out what happened."

„We can´t." the man said.

„What?" now Monger really started to get angry.

„I.. I … It is impossible to run a check on the system without energy." the man explained. „We already tried to activate the standby set. It doesn´t work either."

„How the hell is that possible?" Monger yelled. „For what is all that technical stuff any good if it goes down that easy? How could this happen?"

The technician didn´t give a respond. He just stood there and shook his head helpless.

„I believe I can answer that question." a voice at the door said.

Monger and the technician turned around to Dr. Cockroach. The scientist stepped in slowly. To say he looked worried would have been the understatement of the year. His eyes were even bigger than they were usually.

„What do you know about that, Doctor?" Monger asked, still angry. „If that is the result of one of your experiments, then …"

„I wish it would." Dr. Cockroach interrupted him and the seriousness in his voice made Monger pause. He said: „I was just on the phone with Professor Smith from M.I.T. when … something happened. Outside his house. He said that he saw lightnings striking. Very many lightnings. But without thunder. Then we were disconnected." He was silent for a moment, probably worried if the professor was all right. Then he went on: „General. I believe, we are dealing with … a new alien attack."

Monger couldn´t believe it. But after a moment he was able to think again. And he did. He thought it over, just long enough so his conciousness could deal with the information, he just got. Then he rushed straight out of the door.

„Lieutenant." he yelled through the whole facility as it seemed. „Call all monsters together. Meeting point is the hangar on the roof." he turned back to his office. „Doctor. You and Mr. Technic here, figure out a way to open our doors without electricity." he ordered. „We move out five minutes ago." With that he rushed away.

„Where are you going?" Dr. Cockroach called after him.

Monger didn´t slow down and he didn´t answer. This was the biggest mess he had ever been in and he already hated it. Not because of the battle that was coming up. That was something he was used to, something he could cope with. He hated it because of the decision he had to take. But he had no choice. There was only one thing he had to consider right now and that was the tactical matter. They were about to fight against aliens once again. And that meant they would need Ginormica.

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**Hope you liked it.**

**Okay, friends. So far for now. Finally it is Monsters vs Aliens again. Not monsters vs other monsters. **

**And thanks for reading. See you next week.**


	12. Chapter 12 Moving Out

**Hello out there. Just one word at Claws M.: I totally agree. Don´t we all wish that Monger was real? ;-) You just have to love that guy. So why are we sitting around and talk nonsense? Let´s go and see whats up with him and the others. C´m on.**

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****Moving out**

Amy Dutton carefully opened the door of her Granny´s house and peeked out. The strange storm was gone but something told her, that it wasn´t over. For one thing was the power gone. The second thing was, that it was so unnaturally quiet now. Like there would be nothing moving anymore. As if the whole neighbourhood would hold its breath, still waiting for the missing thunder to follow the lightnings. But there was no thunder. The lightnings were gone since at least five minutes. Whatever had caused this strange storm, it had moved on. At least it seemed so.

Amy stepped out of the house. Granny Heriette followed her, holding her hand tightly. The two women looked around and understood why everything was so silent. On the street there were cars, standing where they had driven before, some crashed into each other but most of them just passed out. People were standing around them, puzzled and disorientated by the things that had happened and that they couldn´t explain. Their chatting was muffled, as if there would be something in the air after that storm, that was thicker, consuming the sound. It felt like ear pressure, Amy wondered. What the hell was going on?

Mr. Ashton, one of their neighbours, came over from his house. The clicking of his cane seemed as far away as a sound you hear through the wall in a hotel room.

„Heriette." he called for them. His voice was muffled too. „What happened?"

„We don´t know, Carl." Granny Heriette answered. Her gaze was fixated on something down the street. She tapped Amy on the shoulder and made her look that way. „Do you think it could have something to do with that?"

Amy followed her finger and spottet a big hole in the ground. It looked like the lightning stroke right into the street, leaving a burned hole in it. But since when did a lightning do such a thing? Splitting a tree, yes. But bursting a hole into the concrete of a street? That was impossible. Suddenly she heard a brief rumbling and for a second she thought, she would feel a slight earthquake beneath her feet. Other people hushed as well and listened. Something was coming.

Amy squeezed the hand of her Granny a little tighter. She felt like a little girl again, that wanted to hide behind the skirt of her Granny. People started to gather around that hole in the street. They mumbled to each other, obviously asking each other what it might be.

„This ain´t good." her Granny said and pulled Amy back a little. „Come on, kiddo. Lets get away from here."

„What?" Amy was so startled, she was even more frightened by her Granny´s grim face than by what was going on behind her. Her conciousness still hadn´t accepted what Granny´s instincts already had adapted to, ready to deal with it. She was an offspring of a family that was used to have military men in it. Granny literally grew up between soldiers. So it was no great miracle that it had influenced her own perception when it came to danger and things like that. It was in her blood.

„We´ll get the hell out of here, now." she now demanded and dragged Amy along.

They had just reached the corner, when a cracking noise caught their attention and made them turn around. What they saw, almost blew their minds away. A big egg-formed robot came out of the ground, right where the hole had been in the street. People were trembling back and ran for their lives. The robot had four red eyes, which were looking around the street. It was still rising, growing bigger and bigger. Under the metallic egg, there were fife long, tentacle-like legs. The four eyes of the robot found a target and then a big red laser shot out of them. On the other side of the street, a hotdog cart went up into thin dust. The owner screamed and ran away.

Granny Heriette took the wrist of her granddaughter and dragged her around the corner. Then the two women just ran.

...

General Monger flew down the shaft of the elevator on his jetpack. He stopped at the level of the clinic and opened the door by hand. Fortunately the elevator doors didn´t have security locks. When he stepped out and switched off his jetpack, he already heard voiced, talking fast and nervous. Someone peeked out into the hallway and spotted him.

„General Monger!" the man cried and soon was accompanied by at least five other persons. One of them was Dr. Stevens. Another one the Missing Link.

„Hey, what happened up there?" Link asked. „All the lights went down."

„Not just the lights." Monger told him.

„What does that mean, General?" Dr. Stevens asked concerned.

„Trouble." Monger answered. „We have strong reasons to assume a new alien attack occurred. Link. You will join the others in the hangar, immediately. I gave order to move out all monsters."

Link saluted quickly and was already on his way out, when he stopped at the door. „Wait a minute." he said and looked back at Monger. „All monsters? But …"

Monger didn´t give a response. Instead he turned to Dr. Stevens and said: „Doctor. We need Ginormica."

The reaction in Stevens´ face was instantly. Monger knew how he felt but there was nothing he could do about it. So he asked: „Please tell me, that you can wake her up."

Stevens hesitated. He threw a look through the window into the room where Susan still lay in her sickbed. His mouth opened but he didn´t say a word.

„Doctor, we´re running out of time." Monger rushed him. „Can you wake her up?"

„I suppose I could, but …"

Monger guessed what he was about to say. Therefore he asked: „Would it be dangerous for her?"

„I don´t like it." Stevens said instead of answering the question. „Her wound heals good but if she grows again, I can´t guarantee for anything."

„That´s not necessary." Link chipped in and came back to them. „She don´t need to grow. She is still as strong as Ginormica, even if she stays small. I saw it." He looked at Stevens. „Would that make a difference?" he asked. „I mean. If she wouldn´t grow … Could she fight then?"

Stevens hesitated. „There is always a risk if she …"

„Just answer the question!" Monger and Link cried unisono and looked at each other surprised.

Stevens sighed. „Yeah." he said. „It would lower the risk. But not eliminate it."

Monger and Link shared a glance. „Do it." Monger finally ordered. „Wake her up."

Stevens sighed heavily but then gave in. He was a military doctor for over forty years now and used to follow some orders he didn´t like. This General at least really cared about the wounded.

Link exhaled and told Monger he would go to join the others, see if he could help them. Then he left. He just didn´t want to be around when Susan woke up. For some reason he couldn´t stand it.

When he reached the hangar he found B.O.B. sitting on the floor, staring to the roof. Up there, at the gates that usually opened into the sky to let the plane fly out, Dr. Cockroach and a whole team of guys were busy building up a tackle to pull open the gates. The Doc just crawled over the rear side of the doors, his head down and fixated some big hooks at them. Then the men pushed down the strings with all the heavy material they could find. The wheels that hold the strings started to spin and slowly the gates started moving. After five minutes of restless pushing and pulling, with what Link and B.O.B. tried to help as best as they could, they finally managed it to get them fully open.

„Unbelievable." one of the technicians said, whipping away some sweat. „A tackle. I never would have thought about that."

„Simplicity, my friend." Dr. Cockroach said and tapped him on his shoulder. Then he called down the hall: „You may join us up here, if you like!"

Some men brought jetpacks to Link and B.O.B. and helped them to put them on.

„Whats about Monger?" B.O.B. asked and as if he had heard him and decided to answer the question himself, Monger came down the hallway behind them – accompanied by his first Lieutenant and a very awake Susan. When they reached the two monsters, Susan smiled at them as if there was something, she should apologize for. She seemed a little sleepy still.

„You are back!" B.O.B. yelled happily.

„I can´t let you have all the fun for yourself." she said.

B.O.B. laughed happily and Susan and Monger shared a smiling gaze. Link would have loved to take part on this happiness. He just couldn´t. God, he felt depressed. Now it was happening. The one thing he had seen coming up all along.

„Well, I see you guys at the roof." he said and started his jetpack. B.O.B. followed him, still laughing.

„We need one more of these." Monger ordered his Lieutenant with a motion to the jetpack he wore.

„I … I´m sorry, Sir." the man answered after he got a headshake from another one. „I´m afraid there are no more. At least not reachable. We would have to weld open the storages door first. Shell we do that?"

„We don´t have that time, dammit!" Monger cursed and exchanged a glance with Susan. She shrugged.

„Well unfortunately flying is the only thing I can´t do." she said. Then she smiled and asked: „Would you be so kind to give me a ride, General?"

Monger swallowed dryly but nodded. He didn´t want to but his head moved without his will. Susan stepped closer to him and finally lay her arms around his neck to hold on him. It was a simple gesture, just to make sure she would get to the roof without falling. But was it? For a moment their gazes were locked and they shared the same thought. What if …? But it wasn´t. And the others were waiting. Monger smiled whimsically and put his arm around her waist. Neither he or Susan noticed the puzzled looks on the men´s faces, who stood around watching them.

„And that without any single dinner." he joked. Then he activated his jetpack.

Susan who had started to giggle over his joke, cheered when they started to sour up to the roof. She didn´t yell yehaaa but it came close. Monger smiled widely. Thats what he called fun. Their gazes met again and the same question as before was back. What if …? The answer was the same as before. It wasn´t the time. He looked away, the way he always did to quit a talk. She didn´t object.

It felt so strange and irritating. He could feel how the rhythm of her breath changed a little and became more shallow. The moving of her chest against his, with every breath she took. Her fingers clinging into his uniform. A strand of her silver-white hair streaking his cheek. Even her heartbeat. Unconsciously he held her tighter. And suddenly the way to the roof was much shorter than he was okay with it. They landed at the edge and he released her.

„Susan!" Dr. Cockroach greeted delighted when he saw her. „How are you?"

„Just fine." she answered and put her hands at her hips. „General Monger said, you had some trouble with aliens. I thought I might be helpful."

Her friends smiled. Yeah, she was back. No doubt about that.

In that moment a scream from below caught their attention. It was Butterflyosaurus who now was down there, looking up to them. Link knelt at the edge of the door, looking down to him.

„How do we get him up here?" he asked.

„We don´t." Monger said. „We can´t bring him up without the elevator and for anything else there is no time. We´ve got to leave him here."

„No." Link argued with a certain determination. Monger was about to put him in his place, but the fish-man just went on: „I don´t let him here. We don´t know what will happen. We might need him."

With that he already took off his jetpack. Monger didn´t object like he had wanted to. He was right. They would need him. If the fish-man could manage it to get him out, he would not stop him.

„You can take this, Susan." Link said and put the jetpack down. „I follow you on Butter´s back."

„But if you don´t make it." Susan argued worried.

„Don´t worry." Link said with his usual confident smile. „Old Link is gonna make that."

„We will head for Area 51 first." Monger told him, obviously taking it for granted that Link truly would make it. „I´ll leave further instructions for you if we have to go on before you catch up with us."

„Check." Link saluted and then jumped off the edge like he would take a header into the water, without another word.

„No!" Susan cried in shock and rushed to the edge, accompanied by all the others. When they looked down they saw Link hanging on one of the ropes, Dr. Cockroach and the others had used to open the gate. He grinned up to them and then slid down like a firefighter on his bar. The team sighed in relief.

„All right, boys." Monger said. „Eh…and girl." he added with a look at Susan. She just grinned at his blushing. The next words, he yelled in his old mood. „Lets move out! We´ve got some aliens to fight."

...

Down in the hangar, Link had reached Butterflyosaurus. The big moth bowed down to him an asking look on his face.

„Give me a minute, okay." he demanded. „I´m still thinking."

He looked around. The men that had helped the Doc opening the gates, were collecting the ropes and turned them aside, so they wouldn´t disturb by lying all around. As if anyone would want to start with the jet the next time. But then Link had an idea.

„Hey!" he cried and ran over to the men. He took one of the ropes and followed its way up to the ceiling with his eyes. „Can we somehow … use that to sour the platform?" he asked. „To get Butterflyosaurus out of here."

The man next to him looked up the way he had done it before and thought for a moment. He mumbled something that sounded like: Simplicity. Link had no idea what that was supposte to mean. Then the man looked back at him. He said: „We will need some stuff."

That was the spirit. Link followed him and watched him ordering people around to bring more hoists to build another tackle. They needed perhaps twenty minutes to get the hoists and another twenty to affix them at the platform. Link helped the men as good as he could by carrying the heavy parts from one place to the next. When they finally were ready, the only question left was, if the tackles could really carry the weight of Butterflyosaurus.

The big moth stepped on the platform, a worried look in his eyes.

„Don´t worry, Pal." Link cried up to him. „Just try to make yourself lighter."

Then the men started the machinery as they had done before. By pushing down weights hanging at the ends of the ropes. Slowly the platform moved upwards. Link and some of the technicians watched the process with tension and hope. Until now it looked good. But then, halfway up, the platform suddenly stopped.

„No!" Link cried frustrated. „Why is it stopping? The weights are hanging free."

„I don´t know." the technician said. „The platform must be stuck somehow."

„Then unstuck it." Link demanded.

The man looked hesitating at him. He had no idea how to do what the fish-man wanted him to do. Then before anyone had to do anything, Butterflyosaurus shot one of his strings up to the ceiling. It caught the edge of the gates and he started to pull, his feet clinging to the platform.

„Way to go, Butter!" Link cheered.

A cracking sound was audible and one moment later the platform went on moving. A round shadow approached the ground very fast.

„Out of the way!" Link yelled and the men ran away. Right where they had been, a huge rock crashed to the ground, causing a big cloud of dust. Link couldn´t believe his eyes. Just one second later …

„Now we know what made the platform stuck." the technician commented the sight. Link looked at him unsure and then they both burst out laughing.

„Okay." Link said. „Now I should …" _follow Butterflyosaurus_, he had been about to say, but in this moment, another sound caught his attention. A hauling that came from behind him, from somewhere inside the facility. He recognized the sound, but wasn´t sure how to react to it.

From above Butterflyosaurus roared, calling for him to hurry. He was about to follow, when the hauling reappeared behind him. He hesitated. It sounded so urgent.

„Tell him to wait." he told the technician and went away. The man looked up to the moth desperately. How the hell was he supposte to tell him anything?

Link ran through the hallways as fast as he could. He would only have a short look, he told himself. Just to check out if everything was all right. Nothing more. He had to hurry after all. If something was wrong he would tell the technicians to take care of it.

He reached the holding area. The one that was still for holding. Behind the huge glass, in a cell that was half filled with water and half with a dry space, was the source of the hauling. The big frog – Toadagantua how the government had named it – looked down at Link, when he entered the hall.

„What is it?" Link asked. He didn´t see any problems that could have caused the creature to call out for help. „What do you want?" he asked again. The frog screamed again. Link just couldn´t believe his ears.

„Are you serious?" he asked half laughing. „You are in here for over two months now, sister, and you never talked to me a single time. Not once. And suddenly you tell me that you want to …" he broke of with a snarl. „Sorry, that I have my problems to believe that." he said, turning his back to the creature. „Excuse me. I have some business to do. Perhaps next time."

Toadagantua screamed again. Link, who had been about to leave hesitated. He turned back to the cell. „What did you just say?" he asked.

The frog repeated it. Link was stunned. But could he really believe her? It could be a lie, a trick to get out of here. But when he looked at her, he didn´t see a lie in the creatures eyes. She really seemed to tell the truth. And if it was the truth … did he have a choice then? He hesitated a little longer. Behind him, at the end of the hall, he heard Butterflyosaurus again, calling for him to move his ass. Link thought about it one last time. Then he took his decision.

**

* * *

****So far for now. Have a nice week friends.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13 Into The Breach

**Welcome back, dear friends. It was a long week but now we are back. Oh, Suewe: I am impressed. Your English is getting better and better. Congratulations. And that in such a short time. Just wanted to tell you. Okay lets go on now.**

**

* * *

****Into the breach**

At Area 51, Aaron Berkley was on his post, waiting for any change to finally come. On the other side of the gate, he saw his colleague John Brannon in the little house. He looked as desperate as he felt himself. It never happened before in his entire carrier that this facility lost all its electricity and with that every control. No communication with the outside or the inside – not even with their emergency equipment and that was stranger than anything else. They didn´t know what was going on in there, or what the heck had caused that power outage. Aaron was sure that they already tried to get out and to put the power back on and so he and John had agreed to follow order 1446: In case of an unforeseen event that would possibly effect the base, the guards have to remain at their posts until further notice. Well, they had supposte a complete power outage would effect the base. But what could they do? All the technicians were inside, a couple of miles beneath their feet.

Aaron looked at his watch again – for the twelfth time in the last fife minutes. Was his watch standing too? No, the big hand just moved. Another minute had passed. Aaron lowered his arm and tried not to think of the fact that when he would look at it next time, it would be the thirteenth time. That situation was surely not the best to be supported by superstitiousness. It was already crazy enough.

He suddenly spotted something in the distance. A couple of flying points approached them. He instinctively lay his hand on his weapon.

„Johnny!" he called over to his colleague.

John looked into the same direction. When he stepped out of his house, Aaron did the same. Together they waited for the arrival of whatever it might be. At last the objects were close enough for them to see it. A big stone fell off Aaron´s heart.

„General Monger!" he called.

The General was the commanding officer of Area 52 not far away from their own base. He had no idea where exactly this base was located but it couldn´t be far, if they made their way here with those jetpacks. When he saw, who was with the General, Aaron´s relief was gone again. He had brought the monsters with him. At least two of them. That wasn´t a good sign.

„General." he saluted when they landed. „I … am afraid we can´t let you in, sir. Since fifteen minutes ago, we have a power outage and we have no contact to the inside of the base."

„We already know that, Sergeant." Monger said and passed him to approach the gate. „Thats why we are here. Seems we are under an alien attack again."

„Again?" Johnny asked puzzled by the all-day-tone Monger had said this in.

Monger went over to the jeep that was parked behind the checkpoint houses.

„We will borrow this if you don´t mind." he said, regarding the still long way to the nearest building of the base.

„I … I´m afraid it doesn´t work either." Aaron said. „We already tried to start it."

Monger shared a worried glance with Susan and then with Dr. Cockroach.

„Interesting." the bug headed scientist commented.

„Well." Monger said and grabbed his jetpack again. „Then we use this. I believe there is enough fuel left to bring us over there. Remain at your posts gentlemen."

„Once more into the breach, dear friends." Dr. Cockroach said dignified. „Once more."

With that he and the others activated their packs, and left the puzzled guards behind.

„What did he say?" Aaron asked.

„I believe that was some funny Shakespeare quote." John told him with a shrug.

Together they watched the monsters flying over the ground of Area 51 until they ended up at the big flat building, that looked like a usual aircraft hangar, for every curious tourist that would dare to come closer than the military allowed it. A minute or so later, the gates suddenly went open, obviously forced by the sound they made. The two men were too far away to see that it was the white haired woman, who had opened them. The monster group went inside and everything was silent again. Aaron shook his head in disbelieve. Then he shrugged. What else could they do, he thought. In comparison it was just another normal day on the Paradise Ranch.

...

„How far do we have to go down there?" Susan asked after she had opened the doors of the elevator and looked down the shaft.

„Very far, I´m afraid." Monger answered. „At least twenty floors but I´m not sure."

„Is that all?" B.O.B. declared and stretched himself out, reaching down the shaft like a long blue rope. „Come on, guys." he called. „I can´t do this the whole day."

The three of them looked at each other. Dr. Cockroach blinked and shook his head. „No thanks." he said. „I prefer my own way."

With that he crawled into the shaft, his head down. Monger made an inviting gesture to Susan and together they slid down the B.O.B.-rope. Halfway down they got ahead of Dr. Cockroach. Above they heard B.O.B.´s amused laughter. The big red numbers passed them one by one. Somewhat around the nineteenth floor Monger slowed down the slide. He tried hard to remember on which floor they would find the command of this base. It had been a while since he was here. They passed the twenty-first floor, the twenty-second and twenty-third. Finally he stopped and that had two reasons. First, B.O.B. had become dangerously thin by now and second, he now was sure that this was the right floor.

„I think thats it." he said.

„That is good." B.O.B. called down to him. „Cause I think, this time I overstretched myself a little."

Monger grabbed the doorframe of the elevator and set his foot at the small shoulder. Susan did the same.

„You can let go now, B.O.B.!" Monger yelled up to the blob, who did so gladly. He shot up like an expanded elastic band, reformed himself into his old shape and made a loop down the shaft, to slide down the steel cable.

Meanwhile down at the twenty-forth floor, his fast exit had made Susan loose balance. Her foot slipped off the edge and she trembled. Monger reacted by instinct and caught her, lifting her up again in the crook of his arm.

„I got you." he said and helped her to get grip on it again. Susan exhaled and then chuckled amused.

„Are we getting used to that, General?" she asked with a smile. Her arm was slung around his neck, though it was definitely not necessary anymore to hold herself.

He grinned back at her. „We might." he said in a low tone.

Behind them B.O.B. and Dr. C had arrived at their level. Both of them stared at them puzzled. Their faces seemed to ask them: Are you kidding?

Monger cleared his throat and released Susan. Though her hand remained one moment longer at his neck before she removed it. It felt absolutely natural. She really wasn´t ashamed a bit.

„Would you mind to open the door, now?" he asked firmly.

„Agreed." she said and grabbed the doors. A second later they were open and the four of them stepped outside into a long hallway. Back on safe ground, B.O.B. and the Doc looked at them waiting.

„Is there possibly a question to ask?" Dr. C asked firmly with an almost unseen smile on his lips.

„Probably." Monger said without hesitation. „But not now. We have a mission to …"

In that moment the sound of a cocked gun made them spin around. A soldier peeked around a corner, his weapon pointing at them. „Don´t move!" he shouted.

„Put the weapon down, soldier!" Monger yelled back at him, placing himself between the soldier and the monsters. „Just because these are monsters, it doesn´t mean that they are bullet proved."

„Who are you?" the soldier demanded to know.

„The name is General W.R. Monger. I´m in charge of Area 52. We are here to help, so put that thing down, understood?"

The man lowered his weapon and stepped out of his hiding place. Still ready to shoot if necessary, he came closer. It was obvious that he didn´t trust Monger or his strange entourage.

„May I see your credentials?" he asked firmly but demanding.

„Listen, man." Monger hissed. „I would show you something else if we had the time, but right now I´m in a slight hurry. I need to talk to General Burrows on the double. You got this, soldier?"

Finally the man was ready to believe him. Monger knew the name of his C.O. after all. „All right." he said reluctantly. „Come with me."

He led them to a big room where a long table was placed in the centre. The situation room of the base. A band of men and women, some wearing uniforms, some the white overalls of the technical staff and some even suits, sat there and discussed very excited what they should do. The man on the head of the table was a tall, tough looking General with grey hair and a mustache. His face was old but it showed the strength of a leader.

Monger didn´t wait for the soldier to introduce him, but stepped right in. The older General just told the others: „I only can tell you that we still try to find out, what is going on outside. But we assume …"

„Assuming is not necessary." Monger yelled over the still chatting people. „I can tell you what´s going on."

The discussion died, when everybody turned to the newcomer in surprise. The General stood up form his chair.

„Warren." he said startled. „What are you doing here?"

Monger walked over to him. „The same thing as always, it seems, Dick." he said. „Saving your ass."

They took each others hands and shook them. „Its good to see you again." General Burrows said. „How did you come in here? The doors are locked. Even my own people couldn´t open them."

„Well, we could." Monger said and turned to the door. When Burrows saw the monsters standing there, he turned pale for a second. Some of the people in the room gasped.

„What is going on?" Burrows then asked as calm as a man could be.

„We have strong reasons to assume that there is an alien attack." Monger told him and all the others. „We still don´t know what or who exactly we are dealing with, but I intend to act immediately."

„How?" Burrows wanted to know.

„These monsters here, already fought back one alien invasion. They will succeed again."

„I´m sorry." a woman in a technicians overall chipped in. „But that is no plan. You could also say, we ran in and shoot as many of them as we can."

„Madame, this is exactly what I had in mind." Monger answered.

„It is more than we have by now." Burrows supported him. „But I have to agree with Miss Stanley as well, Warren. This isn´t much of a plan. Especially when you consider the fact, that nothing of our equipment is working."

„Perhaps none of ours." Monger said meaningful.

Susan, Dr. Cockroach and B.O.B. exchanged an unsettled look. What was Monger talking about? General Burrows frowned. He seemed to know.

„You can´t be serious." he said.

„I was never that serious in my whole life." Monger replied. „At least not very often. Think about it. Why do you think they killed our power? To paralyze our resistance. I take a bet that every tank, every jet and also every other device on this planet that is running by electricity is grounded now. We can´t communicate with each other, we can´t travel and we can´t aim at them, ´cause all our bigger weapons work electrically. They are holding us tied and blinded."

„And you think the only technology they didn´t effect, is …" Burrows assumed and thought about it. „But how can that help us? It is just one."

„It was just one woman that defeated the last alien invader." Monger hold against it.

Susan blushed and lowered her gaze. She still had no idea what the whole thing was about.

Burrows nodded thoughtfully. Then he shook his head. „It is contained in a high security bunker." he said. „The gates are locked electronically, only to open with three different access codes of high security staff. We can´t get in."

Monger looked over to Susan, a confident smile on his lips. „We can open it." he assured his old friend.

„But …"

„Dick." Monger interrupted him. „Just bring us there. We don´t have much time."

Burrows hesitated. Then, finally he nodded. He ordered one of his men to take over and led Monger and his monsters out of the room. The soldier that had led them to the conference room to begin with, accompanied them as well.

„What is it?" Susan asked when she couldn´t stand it any longer. „Where are we going?"

„After the first alien spacecraft was destroyed, the army collected everything they could find." Burrows started to explain. „Every peace of it that seemed to be big enough to be investigated."

„You collected some little green men?" Susan joked.

„There are no aliens in Area 51." Burrows replied absolutely serious. When he met Susan´s gaze, he understood and cleared his throat with an embarrassed expression. He had answered completely habitually without noticing it, like every man that was used to answer the same questions of reporters over and over again. „Most of it were just fragments of the spacecraft mantle." he went on. „But there was one thing that was almost undamaged. A small shuttle. One of the flying saucers you could say."

„Are you serious?" Dr. Cockroach asked excited. „You were able to contain a U.F.O.?"

„We were." Burrows affirmed. „Unfortunately we couldn´t figure out how to use it yet. Our technicians managed it to start the machines but that was all. And as I said …" They had reached a big, closed gate and stopped in front of it. „ … there is no way in, if you don´t want to blow up half of the base, General."

„That won´t be necessary." Monger said smirking and turned to Susan. „Sweetheart, would you be so kind?"

Susan smirked back at him. „My pleasure, love." she said, picking up his little joke joyfully.

Burrows and the soldier watched confused how she stepped to the door and grabbed it right where the two parts met. Then she started to pull. A cracking noise ran through the hallway and made everybody but B.O.B. covering their ears. Burrows mouth dropped open, when the gates opened under Susan´s grip.

„Wow!" the soldier exclaimed. „How the hell …?"

„You may enter, Gentlemen." Susan said with an inviting motion. The puzzled faces of the two men confused her a little and her smile faded. They still didn´t move.

„How is that possible?" Burrows asked Monger and made him frown as well. Was his friend joking?

„Dick." he said. „This is … You really don´t …?" he just couldn´t believe it.

„This is Ginormica." Dr. Cockroach finally told them.

Burrows and the soldier looked at Susan in disbelieve. She smiled and shrugged. „I lost some weight." she said. The two men didn´t laugh.

Finally Monger shook his head and said: „We are not here to discuss the size of my inferiors. There is work to do."

With that he entered the hangar, that was on the other side of the gate. The others followed him.

In the centre of the hall there was a strange device that looked a little like a mixture of a stealth bomber and a classic flying saucer. In its middle there was the cockpit with windshields, that went almost completely around it. All over the hangar there were machines – now all dead – that used to scan and monitor the space vehicle. In one wall there was a huge gateway, that led away into a far distance, probably to come out somewhere at the wall of a mountain. Susan suddenly felt reminded on some old comics, she had read as a child. This is the stash of the X-men, she thought.

„Well, as I said." Burrows told them. „Our guys were not able to figure out, how it flies."

„You mind if I have a try?" Dr. Cockroach asked and ran away before anyone could answer him. Only five seconds later, it seemed, he was in the cockpit, pushing buttons in wild excitement.

„You sure, he knows what he is doing?" Burrows asked uncomfortable.

„Don´t worry." Monger answered. „If anyone can start that baby, it is him."

Burrows nodded. „And … how long do you think, will he need?"

In that moment the engines of the shuttle came to life and the whole thing made a jump up into the air. A slight bang was audible when it hit the ceiling. All of them, monsters and soldiers, winced at the sound. Dr. Cockroaches laughter came over intercom.

„I´m sorry, General!" he cried with an excited, strident voice. „I believe, I got the wrong gear!"

Monger straighted his back smiling and shook his head.

„Unbelievable." Burrows said and watched the shuttle coming down to the ground again, hovering only one meter over it. „And what do you plan to do now?" he asked amazed.

It was B.O.B. who answered: „We are going to kick these aliens in their butts!" and to support his own words, he smashed his fist into his hand. Susan covered her mouth and giggled.

Monger nodded at B.O.B. with a wide smile. „I couldn´t have said it better." he said.

„I suggest you come in now!" the Doc cried out to them. „I can´t wait to see what this baby here can do!"

Susan, still giggling quietly, trotted toward the saucer. B.O.B. followed her laughing out loud, caught up with her and was inside the saucer, before she even had reached the way that led up to the door. He appeared behind Dr. C in the cockpit looking over his shoulder like an excited kid.

„Will you get along?" Monger asked his friend.

„Now that the door is open, I think we will." Burrows assured him. „You go and do as your blue friend said so colorful. Chase these bastards away from our planet."

„We will." Monger promised. „One more thing. Another monster is on his way. The Missing Link. He´ll probably be in company of Butterflyosaurus. When he arrives, tell him, we´re heading for Washington D.C. and that he has to figure out another way to fight the aliens. We can´t wait for him."

„I´ll tell him. Oh, and the young lady will have to open the doors at the end of that tunnel." Burrows told him. „Your Dr. Cockroach shell try, not to run them down."

„I´ll tell him." Monger said grinning.

„All right, Warren. Good luck." Burrows offered him his hand again and Monger took it.

„For all of us." he replied. With that he went away to join the others. He had just closed the door behind him, when the ground under his feet, seemed to rush away and he flew against the wall. Another sharp movement threw him in the opposite direction and he found himself on the floor.

„Dammit, Bug-man!" he yelled and struggled to stand up.

„I´m sorry, General!" Dr. C cried, still overexcited. „I believe, now I´ve got it!"

Monger had just reached the door to the cockpit – Susan and B.O.B. were clinging to the chairs and instruments as well – when the saucer rushed forward again and he flew back to where he had been before. Between the bang of the metal wall he had hit and the ringing in his ears, he heard Dr. Cockroaches wild mad scientists laughter.

**

* * *

****Well, to quote Dr. C again: Once more into the breach, dear friends. Once more. **

**But not before next week ;-)**

**(Thats from Shakespeare´s "Henry V" by the way. If you should have wondered. If you like, read it. It can´t hurt to promote some of the classics. Sorry. Old attitudes. I just thought it would fit the good Doctor to quote from that.)**

**Anyway. Until then. Thanks for reading.**


	14. Chapter 14 Duty

**Well, look at this. We´re all back here. As if I would have known it. No really, I saw it coming.**

**Claws: I have to thank you for your reviews. You always make me laugh with them. **

**Suewe: Of course it was on purpose to let it look like Independence Day. The film was using themes from classics and so am I. Thats how a good parody works. I already did it with Tarantula (remember the spider?) That was an old film from 1955, a Jack Arnold film, the king of the B-Movie of his time. The world wide power outage is a little homage to „The day the earth stood still" (the classic black and white movie from 1951) Just a little more education on this part ;-) Knowledge of filmhistory is almost as important as literature. There are some other films I worked in, but lets not talk about every each one of them in detail. At least not here. **

**Sorry, I ran off the track. Enough of this now. Lets keep going with the story.**

**

* * *

****Duty**

The big screen on the bridge was bright and showed the most beautiful sight, Gallaxhessa had ever seen. The surface of the mud ball was now covered with her robot probes. And hers were much better and more agile than the ones her ex-husband had designed. No wonder that he had failed, she thought with a satisfied smile. She had told him. Over and over. But he had never listened. Idiot. It was his own fault.

Next to her, her little crock-dog wagged his tail. She placed her hand on his head and padded him slightly. Yes, she would make it better than he had. Now it was her turn.

„Computer." she said. „How is our progress?"

„Annihilation rate now at 52 %" the male voice of the computer told her.

„Continue." she ordered. „I want all of it extinguished. Nothing is to be left."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

The crock-dog started to growl for a moment, to show how much he agreed with his mistress´ plans. Then he wagged his tail again, begging for more fondling. Gallexhessa gave it to him, smiling.

„Oh, I can be sure of my victory with such a loyal fighter by my side." she said. „Don´t worry, my little friend. We will own this planet very soon."

She turned to the screen again. „Computer. Is there any sign of resistance from the earthlings?" she asked.

„No moving of any military machinery detected. All technology is dead. Just as you wished."

„Good. Keep it that way."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

„I don´t want these lower lifeforms to get into my way. Did you find any indication for the whereabouts of the Quantonium-containing creature?"

„Quantonium-containing creature, locally known as Susan, not found." the computer told her.

„Flagnot!" she yelled and slapped her fist down at the head of the crock-dog. The animal winced and ducked away from her.

„Why can´t you find her, you miserable piece of junk?" she asked. „For what are you any good if you can´t bring me, what my ex-husband already failed to give me? He never kept his promisses, the bastard! Even our anniversary he forgot. And I always took so good care of him."

„I know." the Computer replied sympathizing. „Don´t be upset. Some men are just pigs."

„Silence!" she ordered annoyed. How could this stupid computer dare to meddle around in her privacy? She should never had allowed Gallaxhar to program her stuff. But of course as the man he had had to do it. As if a woman didn´t understand anything about engineering. Well, but her robots looked quiet good for someone who had no idea about engineering, didn´t they? She snapped one of her tentacles down to the ground. The crock-dog, who had just dared to crawl back to her, got hit and rushed away again. Gallaxhessa didn´t even pay attention.

„Computer." she said and straightened to her full size. „I want you to find her. I will accept no excuses. And when you did find her, you will send all robot probes that are in the same area to get her. Do you understand? Plan 9 has to be a success."

„Of course, Gallaxhessa."

...

The saucer came out of the hyper speed and slowed down over the airspace of Washington D.C. Dr. Cockroach lowered the flight to hide them from being detected by whoever might wait for them, be it friend or enemy. They were flying in a strange vehicle after all, and if the army should have any forces left, they could get the idea that they should attack before the flying saucer could.

„Activate screen." Dr. C said, pushing several buttons. One of the windows in front of them changed and created a monitor. The Doc was so in his actions, it looked like he had never done anything else but controlling that saucers machinery. „Sensors on." he said without looking up. „Start scanning earths surface. Infrarot sensors on. Deflector shield fully functional. Penetration of this vessel with scanning particles from the spaceship impossible."

„Slow down, Doc." Monger said. „This is not Star Trek."

The Doc blushed a little and chuckled. „Oh, yes, yes." he said. „I´m sorry, General. I just wanted to say, it is impossible for the aliens to look inside of here. For them we will look like every other robot they have down here."

He chuckled again and then cleared his throat to continue. „I think I receive something now." he told them.

The screen changed again and they saw a picture of the city, seen from above. There were at least five strange looking robots walking through the city and shooting with red lasers. People were running everywhere.

„Its Gallaxhar." Susan exclaimed. „These probes. They look exactly like him." she explained when she saw Mongers asking face.

„That is impossible." Dr. Cockroach said. „His ship was destroyed. We all saw it. There was no surviver. It can´t be him."

„It is completly irrelevant which alien it is that controls those things." Monger chipped in. „Our mission is to stop them, no matter what they call themselves."

„You think there is more than just one alien behind all this?" Dr. C asked.

Susan didn´t listen any longer. Her attention was completely caught by what she saw on the screen in front of her. All those screaming and running people. Those robots kept shooting down at them. How many of them did they already kill? She just couldn´t stand it any longer. It was just horrible. She didn´t even hear the voices of her friends anymore. The only thing, she could think of was: Is it that way, everywhere? Are they in Modesto, too? Oh God, what if they are?

Then she heard Monger say: „Set a course to Quantico, Doctor."

That finally woke her up. She jumped forward and grabbed the Doc´s hand before he could push the button. He was so surprised that he jumped a little when she suddenly grabbed hin wrist from out of nowhere.

„No!" she cried and made everybody blink at her startled. „We have to fly to Modesto. Now. I have to protect my parents. Set a course to Modesto."

„You won´t do that, Doctor." Monger ordered calmly. Susan threw a glance at him that was hurt and angry the same time. He didn´t wince. Dr. Cockroach on the other hand, did. He looked back and forth between Susan and the General, unsure what to do.

„You heard what I said, Doctor." Monger said.

„How can you do that?" Susan asked in a low tone, that showed very clear how much she took that on a personal level. „We are talking about my parents."

„No its the entire human population, we are talking about." Monger hold against it. „Your parents are just two people. There are six billion more that are counting on us."

„So why don´t we go down there and help them?" she argued feisty.

„We have to invade the alien spacecraft and therefore we need weapons." Monger explained, trying not to lose it.

„And while we do this, those people get chased and killed one by one. These things are shooting at them. How can you allow that?"

„What do you want me to do?" Monger asked. „Go down there and fight every single robot probe? We have to take them by the root."

„I have to protect my family." Susan was close to cry.

This time Monger didn´t show any sign of compassion. He looked at her merciless. „We are at war now, soldier." he said. „You have to face the fact, that war requires casualties. We have a duty to fulfill."

The look she gave him in response was as cold as ice and full of hate and disgust. „I am not your soldier." she said. The dangerous tone in which she said it, made Dr. C and B.O.B. duck their heads down. They were literally caught between two lines.

„Oh yes, you are." Monger replied. „You have to take my orders, don´t forget that. You are under my command."

There was a tensing silence, which seemed to heat the air between them in a very dangerous way.

„Make me." Susan said challenging.

„Dammit, you think this is easy for me?" he suddenly yelled and slammed his hand at the control to his right, that the Doc, B.O.B. and even Susan winced in shock. Not at the impact, but at his sudden outburst. „My family is down there as well!" Monger yelled. „In this very city!" he pointed at the screen, that still showed the smoking buildings and the screaming people in the streets. „Don´t you think, I would like to go down to check out, if they are all right? There is nothing, I would like to do more. But I don´t, because I have a duty to fulfill. A duty to the earth. The entire human race. And so do you. We all have." He turned to Dr. Cockroach. „And now you will set a course to Quantico, Doctor." he ordered adamantine. „No further discussions. Did I make myself clear?" he added more quiet and through that even more dangerously than he had sounded while he was still yelling. Susan stood completely still under his stare. Something in her just rejected to move, even if she would have tried. Monger took it for a yes and turned away from her. Dr. Cockroach finished the programming and the saucer started to head for Quantico.

A few minutes after they had left the sight of the city behind, the robot probes were attacked. Soldiers shoot at them from the ground. Their bullets hit the force fields of the robots and fell down to the ground. Their attempts to fight them attracted Gallaxhessars attention nevertheless. An evil smile on her face, she watched the human forces at their pathetic tries to formate a line against her robots.

With them she spottet one man, that looked like he would have a higher rank than the others. He wore a higher decorated uniform and the lower men took orders from him. After a while of watching, she ordered the computer, to take care of this man. Without him, the others would be less annoying.

...

„Okay." Aaron told his friend. „They made it." He gave the ocular to John so he could see it himself. Since the flying saucer had left through the secret hangar door and vanished into the distance, they had watched their own people struggling to come out through different gates, that were hidden all over the area of Area 51. Somehow Monger and his monsters must have managed to open the facilities doors for them. Over the last thirty minutes they had received new orders – given via light signals, produced with an ordinary hand mirror – what were actually the same as they had had before: remain at your posts.

And thats what they did. Not the worst part in all of this, Aaron thought. Just standing here and watch all the other guys doing the work, was something he could stand quiet well. The only struggle he had had to manage, was to remember the lessons in sending morse codes, which he had not used since he left the military academy. Fortunately John´s memory had been a little better so he could fill the holes for Aaron.

„Yep." John now said. „I think they´ve got it. I just saw the General."

„He came out himself?" Aaron asked surprised.

„Yeah. No, wait. He just went back down. Guess he only peeked out for a moment to check on the situation."

Aaron nodded but then something caught his attention. A movement he saw in the corner of his eye.

Something that approached them from the desert. It was some jumping thing. Another one was with it. A flying one. When it came closer, he couldn´t believe his eyes.

Instinctive he stepped backwards. He tripped over his gun and fell down at his butt.

„What are you doing?" John asked puzzled, looking down at him.

Aaron pointed at the oncoming creatures with a shivering hand. John followed his finger and spotted the newcomers. His eyes went wide in surprise. Then he grabbed his gun and left the little house. His shoot that he fired into the sky, echoed over the area, catching the attention of the other soldiers that were gathered around the exits. They turned around and saw what he saw.

By the moment when the big frog had reached the gate, Aaron had already accompanied his colleague. It stopped right in front of them and then another, smaller creature jumped off its back.

„Yo. Stay calm, guys." Link cried. „She´s a friend, okay?"

„She?" John asked with puzzled look at the frog.

Link grinned. „May I introduce? Thats Toadagantua. Or Toady for short."

The creature opened its mouth and screamed as if to confirm what he said. Aaron and John just stared in disbelieve. In the meantime, Butterflyosaurus had finished his circle around the base and landed next to the frog.

The soldiers at the exits had already reported down to their colleagues. They got an answer and one of them mounted a bike and drove over to the gate.

„Are you the monster called the Missing Link?" he asked when he finally arrived.

„Yeah, man. Thats me." Link answered. „I´m a little late. My friends must already be here."

„They were. General Monger told us to tell you, that they would head for Washington."

„What?" Link cried out. „How? Its on the other side of the continent."

„They took the flying saucer, we stored here after the destruction of the first spacecraft." the soldier explained. „As far as I know, they could already be there by now."

„Thats Great. Just perfect." Link exclaimed. „How are we supposte to follow now? Is Monger out of his mind?"

„I believe the reason to chose Washington was because of the White House, the Pentagon and the Navy Base there." the man suggested.

„Thats not what I mean." Link groaned.

„Well, now that Washington is definitely out of the question …" another voice behind the soldier chipped in. It was General Burrows who just dismounted another bike and joined them. „ … We could need some help." he finished his sentence.

„With what?" was the only thing Link knew to answer.

„Right now we are the only military support Las Vegas has." Burrows said. „And we are slightly immobilized. You on the other hand …"

Link thought about it. What the General said was not that stupid. Catching up with Monger and the others was impossible. Then they could do something else to help here as well. He looked up to Butterflyosaurus. The big moth looked back and it was obvious that he thought the same. At last he shared a short glance with Toadagantua as well. She seemed to look at him with a certain fury. Her gaze seemed to say: Don´t you dare. That was the moment when he remembered what she had told him before he had freed her. As if to support that memory, she opened her mouth and screamed at him.

„How do you suggest, we come over there?" he asked annoyed. „There is no plane that can fly. But if you want to go on your own, please go. You will need a week or two before you reach the other coast."

Toady didn´t scream again. Though her face was still angry, almost hurt. Link sighed.

„Look at it from this side." he said. "When we stop the aliens here, we might stop them everywhere."

„Whats the matter?" Burrows wanted to know.

„She lay her eggs into a lake in the area of Washington." Link explained. He turned back to her: „You can help them the best by helping us here." he told her. „Make up your mind, sister."

Toady´s face was still grim. She started to breath heavily, angry. Then she roared so loud that everybody around had to cover their ears. After that she threw Link an angry look. It was like an unspoken threat. If anything happens to my eggs, I will hold you responsible, it said. Link gave his best to ignore that look and turned to General Burrows.

„All right." he said. „We are in."

„You are?" Burrows asked with an uncertain look at the frog. „All of you?"

„Yeah." Link answered. „What shell we do?"

* * *

**Well, the die is cast. The game can begin. Or did it already start? Sigh. Who can tell, where the beginning is or the end anyway?**

**However. Have a nice week. Until then, my friends. **


	15. Chapter 15 Reinforcement

**Welcome back. Hope you are all well. Well, its Friday again, so what can I say? Let´s go on.**

**

* * *

****Reinforcement**

The saucer approached Quantico first diving and then crawling over the ground like a sneaking animal. Behind a group of trees Dr. Cockroach finally stopped and parked the vehicle.

„All right then." Monger said. „Lets go, Doc."

Dr. C opened the door and stood up to follow. When Susan did the same, Monger turned around and faced her. „You stay here." he ordered.

Susan just cocked in disbelieve. „Why?" she demanded to know. „For punishment?"

„For your own and our all safety." Monger corrected and went on explaining before she could object. He said: „The aliens will look for you. Remember last time? We don´t know how good their scanners are but inside of this forcefield they can´t detect you. If we want to attack them by surprise, we have to keep it that way. I don´t want them to know where you are."

„But I …"

„Susan, please." Monger interrupted her gently but with an expression that was just desperate.

Susan hushed, though she was still angry. It boiled inside of her. But she didn´t say anything. She knew his logic was correct. And she didn´t want to fight him either. Not after what he had said earlier. If she would have known that he had a family, about he was worried as much as she was about her parents, she wouldn´t have said such cruel words. Yes, she felt a little guilty, that much she had to admit. But that didn´t change the fact that she was angry. Not about him. Not really. Oh god, it was just sooo …

„As soon as we are outside, you close the door and reactivate the forcefield." Monger said, turned around and left the saucer. Dr. Cockroach followed him. When B.O.B. reached the door, Monger yelled over his shoulder: „You stay too, B.O.B."

B.O.B. halted in the door, almost disappointed but then went back into the cockpit. Dr. Cockroach closed the door with a remote control, that he had found in some sort of a pocket under the control panel of the cockpit. When he noticed that Monger had put out his jacket, he blinked in surprise.

„Ehm, General?" he asked.

Instead of an answer, Monger gave him the jacket. „Put that over your head." he demanded. „Those guys at the gates will be tensed as hell and they will probably shoot at everything that looks just a little strange right now."

„Oh." Dr. Cockroach said taking the jacket. „Of course."

„Don´t worry." Monger replied walking on. „You only need to wear that, until I had a chance to talk to those guys. Lets go on. The entrance is right beyond these trees."

...

Meanwhile, Susan and B.O.B. were waiting in the saucer. They had watched Monger and the Doc vanishing between the trees. Now they sat there, staring, waiting. B.O.B. glanced over to Susan, wondering if he could dare to ask. But since he never really wondered very long, he decided that he of course could dare.

„Sooo …" he started carefully. „You and Monger had your first argument, hu?"

Susan was so surprised about this, that she couldn´t help herself and laughed. Oh, yeah, she thought. We really had. God, it was so ridiculous. She looked over to B.O.B. who looked back at her with such an open and honest eye, that she really wondered, if there had ever been a secret about her relationship with the General at all. God, the sound of that. Her relationship with the General. What someone could not all understand or interpret into those words.

„I guess so." she finally answered B.O.B.´s question. Her voice was thin and weak. „Actually it wasn´t really an argument." she tried to explain. „Just a misunderstanding. I´m worried about my parents, you know. If I only could make sure that they are okay."

Her eyes wandered to the controls of the saucer and remained there. If she only had a chance to go to Modesto, to find them and bring them somewhere, where they would be safe. It would need not much time at all if she would hurry. It was worth to loose a little time, wasn´t it?

„Hey." B.O.B. suddenly cried. He had noticed her thoughtful gaze at the panel. „You don´t plan to run before Monger and the Doc are back, are you?" he asked her.

„No!" she answered immediately, truly shocked about his words. She surely hadn´t thought about that. Had she?

„Oh, okay." B.O.B. said, relieved but somehow not fully convinced. He looked at her with a certain suspicion, that would have made Monger very proud if he had seen it. Susan on the other hand only felt more guilty under this look of him. No, she thought. I never would have done that. Never.

...

„What is that?" the young Gunnery Sergeant Manders cried when he saw two people coming from the trees.

His colleague, Alex Ross, turned around to where he was looking and spottet them too. That was something weird. It was a small guy and a long one. The long one was walking funny and he had a jacket around his head.

„Maybe the man is injured." Alex guessed. „Call the medics. They shell send someone here."

Tim Manders, stationed in Quantico for three years now, took his walkie talkie and was about to do as Alex had suggested, when he noticed something about that strange guy. There was something peeking out from under the jacket. Was that an antenna? Immediately he put the walkie talkie back onto the table and slowly raised his gun.

„What are you doing?" Alex asked him.

„Look." Tim said. „That guy there. That isn´t a guy. I think, we just got company."

Alex looked as his colleague had told him and understood.

„All right." he mumbled and took his gun as well. Both of them took very much care about not to move suspiciously and eventually warn these intruders. Alex took the walkie talkie, Tim had put back on the table and took the second frequency, the one that was for the forces.

„Base, this is Gatekeeper, over." he called his voice low, almost a whisper.

It took some seconds but then he heard the familiar voice of his colleague Zach, who was watching the whole communication, probably sitting on a table with a whole bunch of walkie talkies in front of him. One for every line, they had installed since this situation started. „Gatekeeper, we hear you, over." he now answered a little too eager for Alex´ taste. „Whats up out there?"

„Zach, you better get up and come out here." Alex told him. „We have a possible situation."

„What do you mean?" Zach asked alarmed.

„There are two visitors coming towards us. Unidentified. One of them …"

In this moment, the smaller one of the two visitors waved at them. Alex halted, unsure what to think.

„Base, hold the line." he said.

„Hold the line?" Zach cried. „You tryin´ to kid me? What the heck is going on? Alex? ALEX! Damn you!"

„I said, wait a moment." Alex repeated and cursed in silence. Couldn´t Zach for once not be so … like himself?

„What is it?" Tim wanted to know. He was still aiming at the two guys (aliens?).

„I´m not sure." Alex said and took his ocular. „Something is strange."

Tim just laughed. „You´re damn right about that." he said.

„Thats not what I mean." Alex replied and cleared his sight. „This one guy … I think, I saw him once. He looks like someone …" He had found the right configuration of the ocular and the face of the man was right in front of him now. It was a man in his mid forties, grey hair, broad chest, not very big. And he wore clothes that looked like a uniform. Alex changed his image to the other man and saw that he had the jacket so close around his head that he couldn´t see his face. But it was definitely a military jacket and … He frowned. This man had one hell of a big head. Was he wearing a helmet underneath?

„What?" Tim demanded to know. Alex didn´t answer right away. He still looked at the jacket. There were signs on it that told him, it belonged to a General. He looked at the face of the smaller man again and finally recognized him. He had seen him last year on a military parade in D.C.

„Thats General Monger." he told Tim.

„Who?"

„A high recommended officer. He is based in Nevada." he looked at Tim who obviously was still unsure. „You can´t be serious." Alex said. „General W.R. Monger. Don´t you watch the news? The guy that led the monsters against the aliens?"

Now Tim understood. His eyes went wide and he looked over to the two newcomers.

„That is General Monger?" he asked.

„Now you´ve got it. Really Timmy, sometimes I worry about you."

„I was busy." Tim defended himself.

„With what? Parties and girls?"

„How do you know?" Tim answered with a wide grin and made Alex roll his eyes.

„Base, this is Gatekeeper." he called in again. "No situation. I repeat. No situation. Over and out."

„What the bloody heck are you talki …?" Zach cursed but got cut of when Alex changed the channel. „Leader two, this is Gatekeeper, over." he called.

„Gatekeeper, here Leader Two." a soft male voice answered. „What is it?"

„Ehm, sir. We have a visitor. Two visitors to be correct. You should come out here, I think." he reported. The General and his companion were now at the gate. „I´m on my way." the other one said and Alex switched off the walkie talkie. He went to the door to go out and greet them. Tim was still aiming at them. When Alex noticed that, he hit him at the shoulder.

„Put that thing down." he hissed at him. Then he opened the door.

Outside he met Monger and saluted before him. The General did the same. Then he looked at his companion and the man took off the jacket. Alex froze, his eyes wide in stunned disbelieve. He had been nervous to meet Monger but he never had expected to meet one of the monsters as well. Behind him he heard Tim jerk and had to keep himself from yelling at him that he should keep himself together.

„Sorry for fooling you, Gunny." Monger said and put his jacket back on. „We had to make sure, not to get shot by our own men."

„Of course … General." Alex replied, unwillingly staring at Dr. Cockroach. „HHHow did you come here?" he finally managed to ask.

„Thats a long story and I would prefer to discuss that with your commanding officer. No offence."

„That will be difficult. The Boss … I mean, Admiral Bryce is in the city, leading the fight against the alien robots."

„In D.C.?" Monger asked surprised and exchanged a glance with Cockroach. „Thats forty miles away. How did your men come there? Are your cars running?"

„No, sir. They …" Alex cleared his throat. „They went by bike."

Monger raised his eyebrows and smiled amused. „Are you serious?" he asked.

„And by skateboard. Roller-skates. Whatever they could find. Yes, sir. I am serious."

Monger grinned widely at this but only half of it was because he was amused. The other half was because he was proud. What an idea. He also noticed the walkie talkie in the hand of the second guard. Batteries. No electricity required. Now, that was the way he remembered the military work under unforeseen circumstances. Improvising. It was a relief to see that they still could do it. But on the other hand no wonder the way he remembered his old friend Gary Bryce. He never had much to do with the new technology. This situation was almost made for him. Susan would be glad to hear, that someone was protecting the civil population after all.

„General Monger." a familiar voice called him. A young officer approached the gate with eager steps. It was the young officer who had called him a couple of months ago, on behalf of the Toadagantua assignment. David Isaak, the adjutant of Admiral Bryce. „Where did you come from?" he asked when he reached the gate.

„David." Monger greeted. „Nice to meet you again. You know Dr. Cockroach."

„Yes, I do." Isaak answered and nodded at the Doc firmly. „General …"

„I just received information that Bryce is in the field. That means I have to bring my request to you. We need weapons."

„Weapons? You plan to join our troops?"

„Not exactly. We plan to support them otherwise. By infiltrating the space ship."

Isaak and the men went quiet instantly. „You …" Isaak started.

„You heard me." Monger interrupted.

Isaak nodded. „But how do you …?"

„We have something that will bring us up." Monger interrupted him again.

„What?" Alex asked excited. When he noticed what he had said, he hushed immediately.

„A flying saucer." Dr. Cockroach explained proudly.

„The scientists of Area 51 were able to contain one after the first spacecraft crashed." Monger explained. „Now we use it to fight back. But therefor we need something with a little more kick. You get my drift?"

Isaak looked at him and there was something in his eyes that made the General frown.

„General." he said. „They have the President. They took him with their robots at the first attack. Also some people of his staff. Everybody that was in the White House when they attacked."

„Why would they do that?" Monger asked.

„Probably to brake our resistance." Dr. Cockroach suggested. „Its like a chess game. When the king falls the game is over."

„This game isn´t over." Monger objected. „Not for long. David. We need those weapons."

Monger was just busy with naming all the weapons he would need, when the walkie talkie in Tims hand came to life. He answered the call, turning his back to the talking officers. The man on the other end told him the news in a rather hysteric voice. What he had to hear made Tim feel very very sick in his stomach. He affirmed the message and closed the line. When he turned back to the men, they were already waiting for him to report. They must have heard the trembling voice as well and guessed the bad news.

„Its Admiral Bryce." he said, pale as a fish. „They took him."

„Took him?"

„Like they took the President." Tim affirmed. „The rest of our men are running. They try to reformate and build a new line." he was silent for a moment. „Why should they do that?" he then asked. „Why did they take him? I mean …"

„Chess." Monger answered after a glance at Dr. Cockroach. He straighted his back. „It remains as before. This game isn´t over yet. David …"

„General." Isaak interrupted him, suddenly very calm. „You´ll get your weapons. But you´ll have to take us with you."

Monger was just startled. „That´s impossible." he said by instinct. But this time Isaak was not going to be dismissed.

„You want our weapons then you also get our men." he said. „This is our Admiral up there. The men will claim to come with you to get him out. These guys are Marines. You can´t get any better. And you will need them."

„Doctor." Monger finally said. „How many men can we transport with that saucer, including us?"

Dr. Cockroach counted in his head. „According to mass and energy systems … not more than four people more." he said.

Monger looked at Isaak, who nodded at him. „I already know, who I will send with you." he said. „Come with me. We get you your weapons now … and your new companions."

Monger and the Doc followed him to the weapons store. As soon as the door was open, Mongers eyes started to glow. That was exactly what he was looking for. Thats what he called equipment. Dozens of guns and grenades, but what he really wanted was locked behind a second door. C-4. Much and much of C-4. Enough to blow that damn alien ship into the next galaxy.

„Sir." a male voice said behind them. A soldier stood in the door, saluting before Isaak. Behind him there were three others, two men and a woman. „You asked us to come here." the man said.

„Yes, Nicols." David said. „This is General Monger." he introduced.

„General. Its an honor." Nicols answered. Behind him, his companions started to whistle with each other.

„Ben. You and your team will accompany the General and his team on a mission." Isaak told him and then he explained, what they were about to do. The four of them listened. Their reaction varied from surprise to determination.

Monger didn´t know these people but his instinct told him, that they were good soldiers. They also were the most colorful team he had seen in a long time – except of his own team of course. Petty Officer Benjamin Nicols, the leader was a regular guy. At least there was nothing very special on his exterior. He was from Canada, in his mid thirties, tall, muscular and his eyes seemed reasonable. The others were a little more eye-catching. There was for example the big, black guy with the dreadlocks, who was introduced to him as Alexandro Perez. He was obviously a very strong man. The big gun in his hands proved him as someone who wasn´t afraid of a hard fight. The third man seemed not to fit into the picture Monger had about an elite Marine. He was not small but somehow skinny. His skin was pale and he looked – to be honest – slightly like an idiot. Though he kept the straightest face of all his team-members. His name was Zacharias McNamara. Obviously an English guy. He looked at Monger somehow peeking, what was irritating. Was this guy looking for something?

Then there was the woman. She was Asian, circa thirty and very beautiful for a soldier. Around her head she wore a red scarf, folded like a head-band what gave her a look slightly like a pirate. When she stepped forward, Dr. Cockroach gasped and took a step backwards.

„I´m sorry." he said, when he noticed the asking faces. „I made a mistake … You remind me on someone. That´s all."

„I´m Lieutenant Alisha Simmons." the woman introduced herself.

„Simmons?" Dr. Cockroach repeated confused. „A … Are you related to a certain Ariane Simmons?"

„My sister." the female soldier answered surprised. „How do you know her?"

„She is a member of our medical staff." Monger answered for the Doc.

„Forgive me if I ask." the Doc said. „But Ari is … only half …"

Alisha nodded. „My father Chu Shong died when I was five years old." she explained. „My mother married again three years later, here in America. John Simmons. Ari was born a year after the marriage." The soldier grinned and looked at Dr. C sort of amused. „She never told me, where she works." she told him. „Now I know why."

„Can we skip this chat and come to the point?" Perez asked impatiently. „Our Boss is up there in the alien ship. I would like to go there and kick some asses."

Simmons turned to him with an even wider grin, what he answered with a look on his face as if to ask: Any questions? Monger couldn´t help himself. He immediately liked that man.

„I have to agree with Al." Nicols said.

„Thats exactly what we plan to do, soldier." Monger assured him. „You can help us by carrying the weapons and the explosives to our taxi cap. Its waiting outside the base. As soon as this is done, we will start."

And it happened as he had said. The C-4 was packed into backpacks and everybody took as many weapons as they could carry. No use to call for a dolly, Monger said. What they couldn´t carry up there in the spacecraft, they couldn´t need. Armed like that they left the base and crossed the trees to enter the saucer. But when they came there, the only thing that was waiting there, was a lost looking blue blob, who looked up into the sky as if he still wondered, what just happened. When he noticed the newcomers, B.O.B. flinched and raised both hands in self defence.

„It wasn´t my idea." he cried.

**

* * *

****Well, the team has gotten bigger. Promisses more fun for coming chapters. **

**See you later. And thanks for reading.**


	16. Chapter 16 Keep Moving

**Hello friends. Welcome back. More people means more dead? Did I really leave that impression on you, that I would do that? Okay, maybe I would. But of course I can´t tell you what I plan to do, cause you see ... its not really my choice. The story goes where it goes. Nothing I could do about that. Sounds strange but thats the way it is.**

**Anyway. Enjoy the next chapter. Here we go.**

**

* * *

****Keep Moving**

„B.O.B." Monger yelled. „Where the hell is she?"

„I told her it was a bad idea." B.O.B. tried to explain himself. „But she wouldn´t listen to me."

„She?" Nicols asked.

Monger facepalmed himself in frustration. „That is my fault." he groaned. „I should have known …"

But the rest of his sentence was cut of, when a big robot head appeared behind the treeline, approaching the base.

„Incoming!" Perez yelled and everybody jumped aside just in time to avoid the red laser that came from the alien probe. The shot left a burned mark on the gras. Not even B.O.B. would have survived a hit by this weapon. Monger cursed. How could she do that? How could she just fly away and leave them here, exposed and without any cover? How could she … ?

In this moment something hit the robot from behind it. The deflector shield wasn´t penetrated but the probe was distracted. The flying saucer shot out of nowhere, passed the probe in one hell of a speed, circled and came back to shoot again. Monger was so stunned, he even forgot to get up and run. It was B.O.B. who suddenly appeared next to him and dragged him to come, that woke him up.

„I thought she was gone." he yelled over the noise of the fight.

„She did." B.O.B. affirmed. „Because that robot was coming. She threw me out. I couldn´t do anything."

Now Monger understood. She had thrown B.O.B. out in case she shouldn´t be able to handle that robot and got shot down. Thats what he would have done.

„We must do something." he yelled and freed himself from B.O.B.´s grip.

„We can´t!" Dr. Cockroach said. They had reached the team, that was ducking behind the trees. Perez was already shooting at the robot, with no result at all. His bullets bounced off the shield and fell to the ground.

„Dammit!" the big man yelled frustrated. „Its no use, Chief." he told Nicols and then cursed again. „But this thing must have a weak point."

„Our men in the city reported that the feet are penetrable." McNamara told him.

„What?" Perez cried confused. „When did they say that? I didn´t hear …"

„Ten minutes before Isaak called us to this mission. If you hadn´t been at the snackbar, you would have bloody heard it too. As well as the fact that these things seem to shoot mainly at food factories and …"

Another laser shot down, right between the trees. It missed the soldiers only about five meters. The trees that had grown there, were gone and only black smoking stumps left. When Perez saw that, he exhaled, bloating his cheeks.

„Intense? I think so."

Alisha turned around and looked at the robot. His many feet raised and stepped down very close to them now. The saucer came back and shot again, what made it put its feet down. But Alisha had seen enough.

„There are entries in the feet." she said. „Sort of. If we could hit it there …"

Perez took a grenade from his belt. „With that?" he suggested.

„Who is the fastest of us?" Nicols asked.

„Thats me." Alisha answered.

„No." Dr. Cockroach objected. „Sorry, my dear. But I am a little quicker. I´ll do that."

„He´s right." Monger supported him. „He can´t be crushed. You can. He´ll go. Give him the grenade."

A laser shot up to the saucer and missed it only about an inch. It struggled and almost fell out of the sky on its own.

„Hurry, Doc." Monger rushed him.

Dr. Cockroach took the grenade and ran towards the robot. To distract the thing and also to make it raise its feet again, the soldiers started to shoot at it again. The robot turned around and then started to head for them. Dr. C was already between its feet and when it made the first step, he placed the grenade on that point on the ground, where it would set down. Then he just ran. He was halfway back, when the foot stepped at the grenade and a muffled explosion went up its leg. The robot paused and then it became instable. It trembled like it would have a hiccup. Smoke rose from its head and the deflector shield went down. A second later it cracked and the whole thing exploded, sending burning shrapnells all over the place. The soldiers, including the monsters, ducked behind the treetrunks until they were sure, not to be killed by flying fragments anymore. When they looked again, all that was left of the robot was a heap of smoking junk. Nicols and his team cheered in triumph.

In the distance they saw the flying saucer coming down to earth again. It approached the ground somehow trembling, like it would be damaged. It came down behind the trees in a very sudden move. Then they heard a cracking sound.

„Susan!" Dr. Cockroach cried and the same time B.O.B. whispered: „Oh no."

The team got up and hurried over to the crash landed saucer. It was stuck into the ground with one of its wings. Dr. C opened the door with the remote and because he was the quickest, ran in first. The others followed right behind him. Though inside, they stopped in surprise. They had expected to find Susan lying on the floor or over the controls of the cockpit, hurt and unconscious. But instead she was standing in the door, waiting for them.

„Susan." Dr. C exclaimed surprised. „Are you all right?"

„Don´t worry, Doc." she said. „I´m okay." She leaned against the door-frame, obviously a little exhausted but strong enough to grin childish. „I didn´t leave the saucer, General." she answered Mongers worried face. Then she shrugged. „I guess I had some problems parking."

That one finally broke the tense everybody had felt. It went out in a relieved laughter. B.O.B. though he didn´t understand the joke, just laughed along with them because he loved laughing.

„Wow." Perez said scratching his head. „I like women who drive an aggressive style."

„That was an amazing flight." Alisha congratulated Susan. „Are you Air Force?"

Susan chuckled. „No, not at all." she said and shook Alisha´s hand. „I´m Susan Murphy."

Alisha paused. Her confusion made Susan smile. „Ginormica." she confirmed Alisha´s guess with a nod.

Now the other woman didn´t just frown but blinked in confusion. „But … you are …" she stuttered.

„Its a long story." Susan said.

„I would like to hear it." Perez chipped in, stepped forward and pushed Alisha aside while he took Susan´s hand – not to shake it but to place an eloquent kiss on it. „Over a bottle of wine and two very delicious hot dogs." he said.

Susan blushed and failed to hold back her giggles. Perez was quiet delighted by her reaction. „Alexandro Perez." he introduced himself and made a bow that was much more elegant than one would have expected from a big guy like him. „Its a pleasure."

„Yeah, yeah, yeah." McNamara, chipped in, quiet nerved by the whole chat. Until now he had been much more interested in the cockpit and he probably saw his chance to see it in action endangered. He said: „And that is Alisha, Chief Nicols, and I´m Zach. Introduction finished. Can we start now?"

Monger smiled satisfied. Perhaps I have to rejudge my opinion about that guy, he thought. From now on, you can read my mind and speak it all the time, soldier.

Loud he said: „He is absolutely right. Doctor. Close the door. And then you may start that thing. We have to catch a space ship."

...

There was a rainbow over the desert of Nevada. The sky was, as strange as it was, cloudy and the mountains in the distance a mixture of shadow and light, grey and white. The whole scene was almost romantic. Was that a good sign or a bad one? Link didn´t know. He just knew that he had a very bad feeling. How came it, that such a nice sight was never to be seen, when one had the time? The soldiers on Taody´s and Butterflyosaurus´ back made it impossible to enjoy it.

They had crossed the mountains and the desert and now they could spot the city at the horizon. The city that was usually known as Las Vegas. Now it was probably better known as battlefield. Between the high-rises there were at least four robots, that looked awfully familiar. The things were shooting down to the ground with red lasers. Link couldn´t hear anything but he was sure, the streets were filled with screams of terrified people. From above Butterflyosaurus roared and flew faster.

„Can you tell him to jump over there?" the leading soldier asked Link. And as if to affirm the question, he sneezed loud.

„Its a her." Link answered and looked at the man uncertain. „But yeah. Where you want to go?"

„I would prefer to start with that robot there." the man said, wiping his nose with one hand. „The one at the Stratosphere Tower. Your friend shell bring us to it, in a wide bow. From the north."

„Check." Link agreed. „Okay, Toady. You heard the man."

Toadagantua roared quickly and changed course. The suburban came in their way. Until that moment the robots hadn´t been there and people were gathered on the streets in front of their houses. When they heard the jumps of the huge frog, they spun around and screamed in shock. They started to run and that was a good thing to do, because Toady didn´t care if she jumped on a crowded street or a deserted one. At least she didn´t jump onto the houses, Link thought. If this would be something else than a rescue mission, it would be hard to explain to anyone that she wasn´t attacking the civil population. Bad manners always caused trouble. He knew. Good that they weren´t on their way to her rehabilitations-hearing.

„Hey, sis." he cried. „Try to stay on the streets, okay?"

Toady roared but it sounded nerved. God, I truly have a hand for women, he thought.

By now the robot had noticed that they were approaching. It turned to them and its four eyes looked straight at them.

„Down! Down! Down!" the Major next to Link yelled and then sneezed again.

„Toady stop!" Link cried. He hadn´t even time to complain about sitting next to a soldier that had a cold on this day of all in the year.

The frog darted sideways and the laser missed her, hitting the building behind her. Then she stopped behind another, higher building so abruptly that some of the soldiers slipped off her back instead of jumping down. As soon as they were on the ground, they ran to the end of the street and took cover at the corner.

„We draw its attention." Link cried and Toady went on jumping right over the building. She headed straight for the robot and the robot aimed straight at her and Link. „Ehm. Thats not exactly what I had in mind, Toady!" he cried and clung to her in fear. The eyes started to glow deep red, getting ready to fire. Then it shoot. Toady again darted sideways and avoided the laser. She made her way around the robot in a wide bow, the laser following her the whole time. Link felt like sitting on the worlds strangest roller coaster. The kind of where you can´t do anything but clinging to the seat and scream. He had no seat but he screamed. Man he did.

Then, he heard gun shots and saw that the robot was hit by dozens and dozens of bullets. Its deflector shield flashed in a red light at every impact. It looked like a huge Christmas decoration. A Christmas decoration, that shot back. The soldiers took cover again and tried to form up a new line.

The robot stopped shooting and started to head for them.

On the other side of the city, Butterflyosaurus had put the soldiers down and now started to paste over the eyes of the robots. Because he was so huge and could fly, he was able to blind the four robots in a very short time. The thing was, it didn´t last for long. The probes just shoot with their lasers again and broke open his web. One of these lasers missed him only about some inches. He avoided it and attacked again. This time the soldiers were fast enough to use this blinding of the robot he had produced. Some of them strained a long wire over the main street and made the robot stumble over it. It crashed into a warehouse. The soldiers surrounded it and aimed at it with their weapons.

„Hold your fire." on of them yelled. „Don´t waste the bullets. We can´t penetrate the field anyway."

The men obeyed. But then one of them saw something.

„Look at the feet." he yelled. „There is no shield. We can shoot them." He started to shoot without waiting for an order and the others joined in. The bullets hit the feet of the robot and it started to jerk. Shortly after its field flashed and it started to spit electricity. The men skipped back and watched the robot die from a greater distance. After another minute it was dead. The men cheered. But their victory was a short one because Butterflyosaurus´ roar warned them that the next robot was already on its way. The soldiers deployed and took new cover.

On the other end of the city, at the Stratosphere Tower, the robot had just reached the line of the soldiers, who couldn´t do anything but shoot at it without causing any results. Before the thing walked right over them, they ran. Toadagantua shot her poison at the thing – it came out of a part in the middle of her head and since Link had never seen her doing that, it was quiet shocking for him – but its shield protected it even from that. It just went on chasing the soldiers. Finally it picked up one of them with its mechanical tentacles. It was the Major with the cold.

„It has Henderson!" one of his men yelled and immediately the others started shooting at the robot again.

It didn´t even seem to notice. The tentacle raised the Major higher and higher until he was almost at the head of the thing. He had stopped screaming and now stared into that big hole that looked like a mouth. The thing was obviously about to swallow him. The tentacle just moved closer to that hole when Henderson had to sneeze again. This time he didn´t care about holding his hand up to catch his own germs – probably because he had other things in mind – and sneezed right at the tentacle. The reaction of the robot was almost human. It flinched and dropped him with a motion, that almost looked disgusted. The soldiers ran towards the robot to catch the Major. He landed right at them, throwing them to the ground.

Meanwhile the robot shook its tentacle as if to shake the germs off itself. It took some steps backwards and stumbled over a parked truck on the street. But instead of falling it just stepped on the next parking area, crushing the cars there like the worlds biggest monster truck. The soldiers opened the fire again, more out of instinct than by logical consideration. Of course the bullets just hit the shield again and fell off but somehow it suddenly seemed to bother the robot.

„You see that?" one of the men yelled. „Its weakening. Keep shooting!"

And they did. The robot headed for them and tried to catch them again, but they ran and avoided the tentacle. They never stopped shooting. After a while the robots shield started to spit flashes like the one on the other side of the city had done before it died. If they had been there they would have recognized it. But that wasn´t even necessary to tell them that it was a good sign. At last the robot stopped and jerked before its shield finally went down for good. The soldiers kept shooting until it fell to the ground and coughed out its last electrical breath. When they saw it was dead, the men cheered in victory.

Toadagantua jumped back to them and stopped right behind them, causing a big cloud of dust. The men spun around, facing a very mean looking frog. She croaked at them, making them flinch and some of them even raising their guns.

„Wow!" Link cried and jumped off her back. „Are you serious?" he asked them angry. They lowered their guns and he turned to Toady. „And you. Knock it off, will ya? We are on the same side!" He faced the soldiers again. „Sorry guys. She has just a problem with … authority."

In the distance they heard more gunfire. It wasn´t completely over yet.

„All right, men." Major Henderson yelled. „One down, two more to go. Lets move."

The men obeyed.

* * *

**Okay, just one more short note. About Perez calling Nicols Chief. That was supposte to be a nickname. I figured Perez to be the kind of guy who would name his commanding officer that way instead of saying yes sir. But now I learned that the Chief Petty Officer is truly called Chief by the men and women under his command. So you may take the Chief in this story as what you want. A rank or a nickname. Both is right. Maybe Perez even decided that he would make a nickname out of the rank. Who knows.**

**And before I forget it. Thanks for reading.**


	17. Chapter 17 Docking

**Hello. Just a short explanation about me tearing apart Las Vegas. I have nothing against that city. It was just the nearest city from Area 51 that Link and the soldiers could reach to do something about the aliens. And I think its a pretty recognizable city for that matter. It mustn´t always be New York, must it?**

**Okay, now back to the story.**

* * *

**Docking**

The flying saucer flew through a thick white fog, also known as a cumulus cloud. The sensors had told them that the spacecraft was now only five miles ahead and considering that this saucer could fly in a massive speed, that was just a short hop. That was the reason why Dr. Cockroach had lowered the speed. The plan was to sneak and not to crash into it, after all. All in one they were on the way for half an hour now.

„Man, can´t you go just a little slower?" Perez complained. „A little less speed and we fly backwards."

„We can´t afford to fly faster." Dr. C explained not less annoyed about that critic of his abilities as a pilot. To defend himself from further argumentation from Perez, he started to explain the reasons all over again, in an even more technical language than he had done before. He just knew that this would silence him and he was right. Perez exhaled and backed away from the Doc´s seat.

„All right, okay." he said exhausted. „You are the Doc, Doc."

He caught an amused grin from McNamara and frowned. To change the subject he looked around demonstrative and asked: „Well, nice bucket anyway. Even if it is just a little faster than a zeppelin. What´s the name?"

„It has no name." Monger told him with rolling eyes. „Its a confiscated fiend ship."

Perez shrugged. „You could name it anyway."

„We don´t name confiscated saucers." Monger hissed. „We FLY it!"

Perez shrugged again. „Where is the fun in that?" he asked. He ignored Mongers staring glance and went on: „Anyway. How do you call in, when you talk over radio? Hello, this is the confiscated alien saucer? Sounds not very cool for me."

„We are not here to play cool." Monger argued.

„Actually …" Nicols chipped in, holding up a hand to stop Monger from coming down at Perez. „ … it would be a good thing to have a name for it." he agreed reasonably. „For exactly the reason Al just mentioned. We might have to call in over radio. Its common sense to have a code name for this ship."

„Thanks, Chief." Perez said.

Monger reluctantly thought it over and had to admit that Nicols – Nicols not Perez – was right. They truly would need a name for this rust bucket. He shrugged. „Name it." he said.

„Hey cool." Perez cheered and rubbed his hands together. „How do we call it? Can we name it Enterprise?"

Nicols threw him a look that just said: Oh please! Perez didn´t mind. He just shrugged again and dismissed the idea. „But what then?" he asked. „What is a good name for a flat chopper like that?"

„Whats about MonStar?" B.O.B. asked just to make a joke.

Everybody turned to him in surprise. He looked from one to the next with a shy smile, waiting for anyone to say something.

„Actually …" Dr. Cockroach finally mused over his shoulder. „ … thats a good name."

„Yeah." agreed Perez with glowing eyes. „The U.S.S. MonStar. Sounds good for me." He looked around for confirmation and got no complains. In that moment something at the controls started to beep. Everybody spun around to it.

„Uh-oh." Perez commented the sound with a nervous look. „Thats never a good sign, is it?"

Dr. Cockroach pushed some buttons, reading the data the computer showed him.

„There is an energy ray aiming at us." he said. „It could be a scanning ray."

„Did they see us?" Monger wanted to know.

„I don´t think so." Dr. C mused.

„You think?" Monger repeated alarmed.

„The ray is still very weak." the Doc explained. „I believe, we are still too far away for them."

„Thats not much better." Petty Officer Nicols said. „It only means that they will see us if we come closer."

„And that means our chances to get in, are done." Monger agreed.

„Wait." Dr. Cockroach demanded. „Perhaps I can shake them off. The ray is punctual, just aiming at one single point. Let me try."

Monger nodded and Dr. Cockroach changed the course drastically. He started to circle around the spaceship in a wide radius, minimizing the distance one by one. The clouds were still shooting along the window, now very very fast.

„God." McNamara groaned and leaned against the wall. „I feel sick."

...

On the spaceship, the computer told Gallaxhessa: „Connection to the unidentified object lost."

„Are you trying to fool me around?" Gallaxhessa asked. „First you tell me that you detected something and now you lost this something? What am I using you for? Chasing some earthish animals? Its probably just a flying beast that lives in that area. A fish or something."

„I could broaden the range of my scanners." the computer suggested in a hopeful tone.

Gallaxhessar rolled her four eyes, one at a time. „Yeah, yeah." she said waving her tentacle. „If it makes you happy. Do it. I´m busy, taking over a planet if you don´t mind."

...

„Its following us." Dr. Cockroach reported. „But don´t worry. This is just a part of what this thing can do."

„Ooogh, I was afraid he´d say that." McNamara groaned.

„Hey, pal." Perez smirked, clinging to Dr. Cockroach´s seat himself. „Whats the matter? You are so green around the nose."

„Doctor." Monger said. „How long do you think, we can do that?"

„Considering the speed and the loss of energy, we have fife more minutes, before the saucer dismantles itself." Dr. Cockroach immediately answered in a slight hyperactive tone, completely ignoring the worried faces around him.

„It is not normal that he sais that in such a joyful tone." Perez commented. Dr. C just went on flying his suicidal course.

...

„Now what?" Gallaxhessa asked impatiently. „Do you have something?"

„Object seems to avoid contact." the computer answered.

Gallaxhessa blinked thoughtfully. But then she shrugged. „Of course it does. Fishs use to do that."

„I don´t think its a fish." the computer told her. „I think it is possible that this object is some sort of a …"

But the rest of what he said, she didn´t hear anymore. The crock dog had suddenly started to push her into the side, making her look at the penal in front of her. There was a blinking light, she hadn´t noticed before. Quickly she pushed the button.

„Computer." she said alarmed. „Tell me what this means."

Some seconds went by, before the computer answered: „Some of our robot probes were just destroyed."

„What?" Gallaxhessa cried. „Thats not possible! That must be a mistake."

„Report about the destroyed probes no mistake." the computer confirmed. „At least nine signals are lost."

„Where?" she demanded to know.

The huge screen in front of her changed and showed a map of the earth. Nine red points started to blink. Four of them were located in America, two in Europe and three in Asia.

„How could this happen?" Gallaxhessa cried and hit the penal with her fist.

„Apparently the earthlings started to fight back." the computer answered.

„Oh really?" she asked sweetly and then yelled: „I can see that myself!"

„Don´t be upset." the computer said. „I´m only the messenger."

„Arrrgh. Spaceballs." she hissed. „Show me where the probes were destroyed."

Another red point appeared, where already three had been. A city on the westside of the American continent.

„Start with that point." Gallaxhessa ordered the computer. „I want to know, who did this."

The screen changed again, zooming down to the earths surface until the city locally known as Las Vegas came in sight.

...

„The ray is gone." Dr. Cockroach said surprised.

„Are you sure?" Monger asked still trying not to fly against the wall.

„Yes. It just went away. Perhaps we really shook it off."

„Or perhaps they only want us to think that." Nicols mused as much as he could in a centrifuge like that.

„What is our alternative?" Monger asked back. „We can´t just go on this way."

„Oh, finally a reasonable voice." McNamara cheered in a weak voice.

„I agree." Susan chipped in. „This might be our only chance to get in unseen. We should try it."

Monger gave her a grateful smile and then glanced at Nicols as if to ask for his opinion. The Petty Officer looked straight back at him. He said: „Its your mission, General. You command."

Monger nodded. „Doc." he said and leaned over the controls. „Bring us in."

„Aye sir." the Doc said and changed the course.

Behind him everybody trembled and had to cling on something even harder than before. Perez and McNamara didn´t grab hard enough and hit the ground.

„Hey, Mr. Sulu!" McNamara shouted. „Take it easy, will ya?"

Dr. Cockroach just laughed like a maniac and flew even faster. Susan started to laugh as well. This whole situation was somehow funny. She couldn´t help. The sauce raved through the clouds as if the Doc tried to break the sound barrier two times at once.

„The ship comes now in range." he reported still far too excited to be healthy.

The white mist vanished in the wink of an eye and then something very familiar appeared in front of them. The huge triangle formed space ship hovered in the sky without any movement, surrounded only by clouds. It didn´t seem to react on their presence. But to activate the phaser canon on its bottom, it would only need a few seconds. Susan knew. She remembered it very vividly. That thing shot at Insecto and later at her, after all. If it would come to life before they reached the ship, they probably wouldn´t even see it coming anymore.

She threw a glance over to Monger and discovered that he was looking at her already. He knew the same thing than she did, she could tell from the look he gave her. She told him with her gaze that she was ready and he agreed the same way. If it should be the last thing they saw, they would face it together.

Slowly the ship came closer. It seemed slow but in fact they were racing at it. Only the great distance up here in the sky made it seem so slow. But then they were at it. The saucer entered the ship through the hangar gate, that opened on its own after it recognized the signature of the saucer as a technology of its own kind. Inside they landed, without any more trouble and Dr. Cockroach shut off the machines. And that was it. Everything was quiet.

It took at least ten seconds before the tension was released in a common exasperation of everybody. Nothing had happened. They were still alive. No evil robot came in after they landed to destroy them. It seemed as if they truly made it in without being detected.

„So, thats it?" Perez asked. „We are in?"

„Thats only the beginning." Nicols reminded him. „Now the game really starts. Lets get out."

„Wait, Petty Officer Nicols." Monger stopped him. „Just one more thing. I feel I have to remind you that our mission here is to destroy this ship and to stop the invasion. It is not to find Admiral Bryce, not even the President. But to destroy this ship. Everybody on this team is expendable. The earth isn´t. Are we clear?"

Nicols looked down at him with an expressionless face. But this lack of expression told more than every mimic could have. „Crystal clear, sir." he said in a low tone.

Monger nodded. Nicols might not like it. But he would obey, that was for sure.

„All right, friends." Nicols addressed his team. „Lets move out. You know what to do. Secure the area. Move! Move! Move!"

The four Marines left the saucer and checked the hangar. It was filled with other saucers like their own and everywhere there could be someone or something, ready to attack them. On every corner the soldiers stopped for a second and then jumped around it, their weapons first. Their movements were slow but fast at the same time, almost sneaking like predators. They really knew how to do a job like this.

Monger and his team waited at the door of the saucer. Nicols would give them a signal as soon as he was sure that the area was clear. It had been a good idea to take them to this mission, Monger now had to admit. In his mind he thanked Isaak for the idea.

To make the time past faster and to keep down his own excitement, he checked his weapon for the third time. He had an M.P. and the matching cartridge belt around his shoulder, plus a belt with grenades, just in case. Susan and Dr. Cockroach would carry the backpacks with the C-4. The plan was to cover the whole ship with those little packages, important energy parts preferred. If they could manage it to blow up these parts the rest of the ship should go down along with them, he figured. If they were fast they could be finished at nineteen hundred. Still counting on the chance that they would make it out of here alive. But of course as a soldier, he had to assume the possibility …

A hand suddenly lay down on his shoulder, braking off his thoughts and almost making him jump. He turned around to face Susan, who was waiting for Nicols signal right behind him. He had been on his knees, ready to run like a sprinter. Now he looked up to her and it felt more than just strange. It felt humiliating. Like a little boy looking up to his mother after she caught him in the act by doing something forbidden. She bowed down and cowered next to him.

„I just wanted to say sorry." she whispered. „About what I said earlier."

Now he really felt embarrassed. „Susan, please." he said. „Thats hardly the time."

„Its the only time." she answered. „No one knows, if we will ever find the time for that again. Since we all are expendable, General."

She didn´t say it cynical or mean in any other way. It was just a statement, as if she would have told him about the weather. But that made it even worse.

„I … I didn´t mean …" he tried to explain but was cut off by her gentle headshake.

„I know." she assured him and then looked deep into his eyes. Her smile faded and was replaced by an expression of regret. „I didn´t mean it either." she added.

„The coast is clear now!" Nicols called from outside.

They both sighed heavy, lowering their gazes like two attendants of a funeral. And in some way they were. Only that no one yet knew who´s funeral it would be.

„Susan. General." Dr. Cockroach addressed them gently. „We should go."

They sighed again and then stood up. It was time to go. After they were out, Dr. C closed the door of the saucer and took the remote into his pocket.

„We need someone to open that door." Nicols told them when they reached him and the others. „Doctor?"

„Hm. Let me see." Dr. Cockroach said and pushed some buttons. The gate went open, revealing a hallway behind. Nicols and his team went out the same way they had checked the hangar but the hallway was empty. They kept their eyes open nevertheless. Nicols and Alisha went forward while Perez and McNamara secured the back, following behind in a steady distance. After they took a few bows without running into any trouble at all, it was obvious that there were no aliens around. At least not in this area of the ship.

„This is strange." Nicols commented. „Why is no one here? Is this ship deserted?"

„No." Susan answered. „They just didn´t start the cloning process yet. They will as soon as they are ready to go down. After their robots prepared the earth for them."

„And then …" Dr. Cockroach added in agreement. „This ship will be crowded with aliens. Believe me. We saw it."

„Okay." Nicols said. „Then I suggest, we hurry."

„Follow me." Susan said. „I know the way."

...

The screen showed a destroyed robot probe that was dismantled halfway. Its head was still smoking. The soldiers were standing around it. But there was another figure that caught Gallaxhessa´s attention. And that was a green one. Not a human but a monster.

„Computer! What is that thing there with the soldiers?" she demanded to know.

„My datas tell me, that it is a fish-ape hybrid." the computer answered. „According to the earths data base I infiltrated, I can tell you furthermore that it is the one monster, locally known as the Missing Link."

„Missing Link?" Gallaxhessa mused where she had heard the name before.

„He was a part of the team that fought against your ex-husband when he tried to take over the planet." the computer explained.

Gallaxhessa hit her fist at the controls, when she heard that. „I knew it." she cheered. „That means the Quantonium will be mine soon. Is the carrier down there too?"

„The carrier of the Quantonium, locally known as Susan, can´t be detected." the computer told her.

„Thats impossible." Gallaxhessa cried. „She must be there. Where else can she be, if not with her friends?"

„I can´t locate all the monsters that were at the team with her the first time." the computer gave voice to his further concerns. „Maybe they are somewhere else. There were other probes destroyed after all. Don´t you think they could have splittet?"

Gallaxhessa was finally convinced. „Let me see the other places, where the probes were attacked." she demanded. „Start with the ones at the same continent."

The screen changed again and after a minute it zoomed down at Washington D.C. where a few minutes ago, another probe had been destroyed. First Gallaxhessa wanted to see the one that had died outside the city by a camp of the military. But there were only humans surrounding the probe. Then she demanded to see the probe that had been destroyed recently in the city. The computer obeyed her order but there she could also only see humans. Slowly she started to get angry.

Next to her, her loyal crock-dog wined about her being upset. She looked down to him and finally smiled again. But it was an evil smile, determined to do something, that had been overdue already.

„Computer." she said. „Start the cloning process. Use the rest of the Quantonium we have stored to do it."

„If we do that, we won´t be able to head out of the stratosphere anymore." the computer told her quiet worried about that idea.

„Silence." Gallaxhessa demanded. „I gave you an order. Anyway. We won´t leave the stratosphere of this planet before we got new Quantonium." She smiled again and then shouted: „Start the cloning process. I will take care of the situation myself … well, sort of."

* * *

**Well, that´s it for today. Hope you enjoyed it. And see you next week. **


	18. Chapter 18 The Big Break

**Hi there. Claws: According to your suggestion, maybe I should start into it from now on this way: „Previously on "For the Future to Come." followed by a short summery. What do you think? But … no, I don´t think that I will do that. I´m far too lazy for that. Hope you don´t mind.**

**Suewe: Thanks so much for you sweet words. That is so nice to say that. I´m glad you decided to write something on your own. Really. Would like to read it. Keep up the good work.**

**Oh and talking about that. Here we go.**

**

* * *

****The Big Brake**

„God, how long are we walking now?" Perez complained.

They were walking through a hallway, that looked exactly the same like the one they had entered after leaving the hangar. Not a single time it had changed its shape, everything looked the same. These funny structures on the round walls and the red glooming, reminded in a strange way on a human bloodline. As if they were walking through a giant model of the human body. Please follow the white blood cells directly to the left heart chamber.

McNamara looked at his watch. „Twelve minutes and thirty-two seconds." he answered Perez´ question.

Perez gave him a look. „Thanks, pal." he replied.

„Anytime."

This never changing environment made them feel like they wouldn´t proceed a bit and it truly felt as if they were walking for hours already. The worst thing was that they couldn´t see the end of that hallway, because it made a steady bow.

„Are you sure that this is the right way?" Nicols asked Susan.

„Sure." she answered and then shrugged slightly. „Well, sort of."

Nicols gave her an asking look, what made her feel even more uncertain. „This is a big ship." she finally said. „It takes a while. But the hallways I passed on the other ship looked exactly the same."

„And who tells us that these hallways don´t look the same, all over this bloody ship?" McNamara chipped in. „I mean. She could lead us everywhere."

„I trust her." Perez stated and McNamara groaned. He was about to say something else, but a loud noise that suddenly came up, made them all jump. The soldiers grabbed their weapons, but didn´t find anything to aim at. The sound seemed to come from everywhere around them. Nicols lay a hand on the wall, feeling and listening and then he lay his ear on the wall.

„The sound is transported through the metal." he said. „It must be somewhere on the other side."

„Or anywhere in the ship." McNamara repeated. „We don´t know how this alien material works."

„He is right." Nicols agreed. „Keep your eyes open. They might come for us."

„I don´t think so." Susan stated. She had lay her hand on the wall as well but more because she needed something to reach out for, while listening. That sound was familiar, she had known that from the first moment. But she had needed some time to put it in the right place. Now she knew what it was.

„They started the cloning machine." she told them.

Dr. Cockroach frowned and listened closer. „She´s right." he said, when he recognized the sound himself.

„What does that mean?" Monger wanted to know. „That they get ready to invade?"

„Probably." Susan answered.

„We must stop them!" Nicols cried and clenched his fist.

„No!" Monger silenced him. „We can´t do anything from here."

„We can destroy the machines."

„And we will. But our main target is the power-core. Do I have to remind you on our mission, soldier?"

„You don´t have to tell me, where my duty lies." Nicols hissed. „And I am a Marine."

„Wow! Wow! Hey!" Perez chipped in and stepped between the two of them. „Chief. We are here to fight the aliens. Not each other."

Monger and Nicols looked at him and then at each other. Then Nicols sighed silently and closed his eyes. „He is right." he said. „I apologize, General."

„Accepted." Monger said. „Now lets go on or we will never accomplish anything."

Nicols nodded and they kept on walking. The sound of the cloning machine was still humming through the walls. They had only walked a few meters, when B.O.B. suddenly halted and listened again.

„B.O.B." Dr. Cockroach called him. „Don´t stay behind."

„I hear something." B.O.B. told him. Dr. Cockroach rolled his eyes.

„Yes, B.O.B." he said. „We hear it too."

„No." B.O.B. insisted and kept listening. The others stopped and looked back at him wondering. Nicols and his team didn´t know him but Monger, Susan and the Doc were quiet drawn by the concentrated look on B.O.B.´s face. What was it, that he was so on it?

„I think I hear voices." B.O.B. said.

„What?" Nicols and his team were back with him immediately. „What voices?"

„I don´t know. They are very quiet. But there are many."

The humans tried to listen but couldn´t hear anything over the humming of the machines.

„How can he hear anything?" Perez asked. Monger just shrugged. He didn´t know it either.

„Wait." B.O.B. said. „I go to see what it is." And with that he slipped through a hole in the wall, no one had noticed until that moment. It was like a ventilation channel but much too small to ever get through it, even for a child. B.O.B. on the other hand had no form at all if he didn´t want to and he ran through it like a living rope. His butt remained in front of the hole, like the root of a sling plant. „I found them." he finally said. Seeing his mouth speaking out of this thin part of him that was still with them was strange, even for Dr. Cockroach who knew him for over fifty years now.

„Who is it?" Nicols asked. „Is it the Admiral? And the President?"

„I don´t know." B.O.B. said. „I can´t see them."

„Didn´t you just say you found them?" Dr. Cockroach asked annoyed.

„Yes." B.O.B. chuckled. Dr. C facepalmed in frustration. „So then … you will be able to tell us who you see." he demanded.

„I don´t know these people. But man there are a lot of them."

Puzzled glances were exchanged. Then Monger bowed down a little.

„B.O.B." he said. „Describe us what you see."

„There is a big crowd of people, locked in a big room." B.O.B. told them. „Some of them look funny."

„Funny? In what sense?"

„They wear funny cloths. Most of them just wear suits. But I see three guys that have towels on their heads."

„Towels?" Alisha repeated.

„Could he mean turbans?" Nicols guessed.

„India." Monger mumbled thoughtful.

„There are guys who look like Alisha." B.O.B. now told. „But they are men and they look grimly."

„Chinese." Susan said.

„Or Japaneses." Alisha added. „Maybe both."

B.O.B. started to laugh. „And there are some nuts." he said. „They wear nightgowns."

„Caftans." Monger corrected.

„Arabians." Nicols agreed.

„And I see a couple of people wearing uniforms like Monger." B.O.B. went on. „And some wear uniforms not like Monger. But they definitely look like Monger." he added smiling. „They look like Monger when he is angry. Like the way he is when Link …"

„All right, B.O.B." Monger stopped him. „We got the idea."

„It seems they captured people from all over the planet." Nicols mused.

„Perhaps … not just any people." Alisha suggested.

„Politicians." Nicols suddenly realized and made a frustrated motion with his head. „God, I was so blind. This is not just about our Boss. Its about the Bosses of every country in the world." Then he looked at Monger again. „General. I think the circumstances of our mission have changed."

Monger thought hesitating. Then he nodded. „I guess you are right." he admitted. "That changes everything."

„They try to disintegrate our leadership." Nicols mused. "By taking away the heads of every government on earth …"

„They are braking our resistance." Monger finished the sentence. „You are right, Petty Officer Nicols. We have to free them."

„But the ship." Susan reminded them.

Monger nodded. He shared a glance with Nicols and the two soldiers discussed the whole thing without even saying a word. Nicols nodded and grabbed his gun.

„Leave it to us." he said. „You keep going. Me and my team take care of the prisoners."  
Monger agreed. „B.O.B." he said. The blue blob came back out of the hole and looked at him with a wide smile. „You´ll go with them." Monger ordered him. „You saw where this prison is. Lead them."

Dr. Cockroach threw a doubting look at Monger. He probably worried the General could have lost it, to trust B.O.B. to find the way. But Monger just smiled at B.O.B. when he saluted before him with a very determined looking eye and answered the gesture.

„Okay, guys." Nicols said. „Lets move."

The four Marines turned back in the direction they had come from. When he passed her, Perez took Susan´s hand as if to place another kiss on it.

„If this is our last goodbye …" he started overdramatic but was hit on the back of his head by Alisha.

„It will be, if you waste more time." she hissed and drew him away. Perez grinned and blew Susan a kiss before he followed his comrades. Susan couldn´t help but giggled. She made herself stop by biting at her lip. Monger and Dr. Cockroach looked at her, both with rather unreadable faces. What do you think, she wondered.

They went on walking, still following Susan´s directions and mostly simply her instincts. After all, when she had been here last time she had been much bigger. The perspective was different now. But where else could they go anyway? That hallway only led into one direction. At least until they reached something that looked like the end of a canalisation. Five pipes opened there, a big one and four smaller ones, just big enough for them to walk through. It was definitely a crossway.

„Which way now?" Monger wanted to know.

Susan looked at the pipes and tried to remember. She had chased Gallaxhar through one of those things but at that time she really hadn´t payed attention to where she was running. She only had seen this slimy little thing that was on the run from her. But she remembered that one of these pipes had led almost directly to the main power-core. The question was just: Which one?

After a while she took a decision. „That way." she said and headed for the pipe on the right side. Monger and Dr. Cockroach just followed her.

...

Unlike the other part of the group, Nicols and his team had passed a couple of crossways by now – strange enough: always following B.O.B.´s advice where to go. Now they reached the fourth one. Perez and McNamara secured the right tunnel, Alisha and Nicols the left one. Until now they had been lucky. Where ever the alien clones were, they were not in this part of the ship. Not yet.

„Where now, B.O.B.?" Nicols asked.

B.O.B. thought it over for a second and then pointed to the right tunnel. „I hear their voices much better now." he said, went into the right tunnel and turned around after a few meters to rush into the left one, laughing.

Perez groaned. „Can anyone tell me, why we are following a brainless blue pudding?" he asked.

„For the same reason, we carry along a brainless brown chocolat bar." Alisha teased him.

He gave her a piercing look and then made himself even bigger than he already was. „Thanks for the compliment." he said sweetly. „I knew you loved me."

Nicols just shook his head, restraining a grin. „Lets go on." he urged and they did.

„Hey, guys." B.O.B. called for them from far ahead. „I think I found them."

They ran to catch up with him. What they saw, when they reached him was some sort of a hangar. But instead of planes there were robots stored in there. It was a huge hall and the robot probes were arranged around an area right in the middle of it. In that area, shielded by a forcefield that the robots produced between each other like overdimensional prisonbars, there were uncountable people.

„Great Scott." McNamara whispered. „That … That is strange. I mean …"

„You may say that twice." Perez agreed. „I can´t believe the blue-man really found it."

B.O.B. turned to him with a satisfied smile. Perez reached out for him and fondled his head as if he would ruffle the hair of a little boy that had done something very cute.

„Come on, guys." Nicols whispered and went in, sneaking and carefully looking around for possible guards that might watch the prisoners. When he was sure there were none, he gave a signal for the others to follow. The prisoners became anxious and excited when they noticed the newcomers. They started to gather closer to the forcefield, looking out at them. They called for them, but since they talked in complete disorder, Nicols couldn´t understand anything. He waved for them to calm down and the talking became lower.

„How can we deactivate that field, Zach?" he asked.

McNamara looked at the robot probes. „I believe the energy source of these things must be located somewhere inside of their heads." he said.

„No shit Sherlock." Perez said.

McNamara shot an angry look at him but continued as if he hadn´t heard it: „They work kind of as a net." he said. „When we shut down one of them, the others shouldn´t be able to hold the bloody field any longer."

„Can you shut down one of them?" Nicols wanted to know.

„I can try." McNamara answered enthusiastic and started to climb up a latter, that was inside a small gab in the leg of the robot probe. When he had reached the head, he started to fumble at the door to find a way to open it. He managed it to open a cover plate and found a strange looking panel beneath. There were no buttons. Only some alien designs that reminded him on a Picasso painting. He tried to push some of the round designs, hoping they were buttons, but nothing happened save some illuminating. He clenched his fist in frustration and cursed. "Bloody hell!"

„Hey, genius!" Perez called husky from below. „Problems with the engine?"

„Hush." McNamara said.

„Just asking."

„If you want to do that, be my guest." the British man hissed down to his colleague.

„Quiet, men." Nicols demanded. „You want them to find us?"

„Sorry, Chief." Perez whispered.

„Hey." B.O.B. said. „Let me try it." He stretched himself up to McNamara and then penetrated the robots panel, sending blue slime through it. The penal started to crackle and shortly after that, the field did the same. B.O.B. started to laugh. „That tickles." he chuckled.

Finally the forcefield went down and was gone. McNamara stared at B.O.B. with an expressionless face. He started to nod endlessly.

„Okay. Good." he said shrugging. „I was just … It was …"

„Come down, Zach." Nicols demanded and the man obeyed, following a laughing B.O.B.

„Nicols." a voice from the crowd called and then a grey haired man separated from the others.

„Boss." the Petty Officer said gladly.

„Good to see you guys." Admiral Bryce admitted.

„We couldn´t let you rot here." Nicols replied with a slight smile.

„Hey, Boss." Perez said. „I brought you something." He gave him one of the weapons he had carried on his back. Bryce took it thankfully.

„Good work, men." he said while he adjusted the gun. „So how do we get back to earth?" he asked.

Nicols and the others exchanged embarrassed glances. „Ehm." Nicols started. „We actually haven´t thought that far, yet."

Bryce frowned and looked at him startled. „You haven´t?" he asked as if the Petty Officer had just confessed a deadly sin.

„Not directly." Nicols answered. „We weren´t expecting such a big bunch of people. Our information only included you, the President and his staff."

Bryce lowered his gaze for a moment. Even he had to admit that Nicols couldn´t have known that.

„Our main mission was to destroy this ship." Alisha added.

„Understand." Bryce said. That was the first time he spottet B.O.B. He gave him a puzzled look. „Who are _you_?" he asked.

„I´m B.O.B." the blue blob answered proudly.

„He is one of the monsters, General Monger brought with him." Nicols explained.

„Monger is here?" Bryce asked surprised.

„Yes. We splittet. He and the others went on, placing explosives at the power-core of this ship."

„And you came to save us." a man in the crowd finished the report. Nicols looked at him. It was a man in a suit with dark teint and a big moustache. He guessed South America but he wasn´t sure.

„Yes." he affirmed.

„Then … what we do now?" another man asked. He was even darker than the first one, wearing the uniform of the French army and also spoke in the hard accent that was so common for the French.

Nicols thought hard. His eyes wandered over the crowd. How were they supposte to get so many people down to earth? Not in their saucer that was for sure. Then his gaze suddenly fixated itself on a certain point behind the crowd. It happened without he had to do anything for that. A sudden brainstorm as people liked to call it. He snapped his fingers.

„I think I have an idea. Zach. You think you can start these robots?"

Zach looked at him unsure.

„Yeah, Zach." Perez teased him with a smirk. „Can you?"

„These robots came down to earth on their own." Nicols explained. „They must have some sort of an engine. Like the saucer, we came in. And their heads … they are big enough to carry twenty or more people at a time."

„Of course." McNamara cried, now as excited as Nicols – even more.

„If we could manage it to control them …" Nicols went on (McNamara started to nod at every second word) „They could take them to their own countries, using them against the other robots."

„Of course." McNamara repeated stoked. „Of course. Yeah. Of course."

Perez gave him a slight hit on the back of his head. „Would you stop saying that and start doing something?"

McNamara was still glowing. He barely had noticed the hit. „I think now that the panel is smashed, I can open the door of that thing." he stared into the distance, thinking hard and excited. „Yeah." he finally said. „Yeah." With that last yeah he spun around and started to climb up the latter again.

„I think he has it." Perez commented with a shrug.

Bryce jumped up the latter as well, but only to have a better look over the crowd.

„Listen!" he yelled. „May I have your attention, please?"

The people hushed immediately and looked at him.

„One of our men will attempt to manipulate these robots. We believe we can use them to send you all back to earth. But we will need your cooperation. So if there are any technicians with you, they shell come here and work with Staff Sergeant McNamara to figure these things out."

People started to talk to each other, translating what Bryce had just said to all of them who didn´t speak English. Finally a couple of men and women started to head for them, searching their way through the crowd. Above Bryce, a fizzing sound told him, that the door of the robot was now open. Very good, he thought.

„The rest of you should already start to split up into smaller groups of about twenty or so and get into the robots." he added to his speech. „We will help you to open the doors."

Again people translated his words for each other. In that moment a growling sound came from the gate. When they turned around they faced a very angry looking beast, that seemed to be half crocodile and half something else.

„Defence line!" Nicols cried. „Move!"

The three Marines knelt down and aimed at the thing. It growled again and then jumped at them. The soldiers started to shoot but the shell of the beast was too thick to be penetrated. It hit the line of the three and threw them to the ground. The crowd gasped in shock. Then the beast spun around and started to snap with its razor sharp teeth. It got Perez at the leg and he screamed in pain.

Alisha ran to him and brought the shaft of her gun down at the head of the beast, so hard as if she tried to split a rock with it. The beast wined and let go of Perez.

Alisha and Nicols pulled Perez backwards, away from that thing. Alisha had hit it quiet good but it was hardly injured. It skipped back some steps, shook its head to get clear again and then growled angry at them. It attacked again, but this time it jumped right into B.O.B.´s open mouth that had suddenly appeared in front of it. Inside the blob it started to struggle helplessly, trying to get out. Its whining sound was muffled. B.O.B. hold it there for a little longer, then he spat it out. The beast struggled to get to its now shaking feet and after a frightened look back over its shoulder, it ran away.

„It will alarm the aliens." Bryce stated. „We must hurry."

* * *

**Damn that was good. All right. One moment please. Ahem: Be with us again, next time at "The Future To Come" **

**Good enough? No? *shrug* I knew it. Anyway. Thanks for reading.**


	19. Chapter 19 Sneaking In

**Hello again. Claws: I asked the guy with the golden voice but he said he was swamped with other narrations already. Such a pity really. So I´m afraid you´ll have to make do with me. **

**Let´s make the best of it.**

* * *

**Sneaking In**

Susan´s fist hit the wall and then it went right through it. Like a knife through butter. She drew it back and then opened the hole a little wider so they could look through it. On the other side the huge hall with the main power core in its centre appeared.

„There." she cheered quietly. „I knew we were right. There it is."

„And there they are." Monger added with a look at the masses of alien clones that flooded the ways around the core. The machines were still active, producing more and more of them, dressing and arming them on their way. Dr. Cockroach exhaled.

„Talk about Déjàvu." he quoted a certain Professor from the M.I.T. and in his mind he agreed with him.

„How do we come over there?" Monger mumbled.

„Well …" Dr. Cockroach started. „Last time we …"

Mongers hand shot at him, grabbing his shoulder. „I read your report, bug-man." he hissed. „Forget it. I surely will not wear such a drag."

Susan almost burst out laughing but was able to contain it. „Perhaps that isn´t necessary." she said and pointed sideways. „You see those wires? They lead directly to the power-core. Seems they are big enough to walk on them."

Monger nodded grimly and let go of Dr. Cockroach. „All right." he said. „Lets try it."

They stood up and walked back the way they had come from until they guessed to be on the right place. Dr. Cockroach counted his steps and finally gave his okay. Susan smashed the wall once again and when the hole was open they found themselves directly over the big wire. It truly was big but its surface looked slippery. At least sleek. The three of them hesitated.

„Perhaps its better I go alone." Dr. Cockroach offered. „You two can fall. I can´t."

„The explosives have to be placed close to the brain." Monger reminded him.

„Don´t worry." Dr. Cockroach said. „I know exactly where the brain is. I saw it."

„I know." Monger said and gave him one of the backpacks. He also wanted to give him a gun but Dr. Cockroach denied.

„I would rather not." he said.

„Just in case." Monger argued.

„General. This backpack is heavy enough. Don´t worry. They won´t see me."

Susan went over to him and hugged him. „Be careful, Doc." she said.

„I will." he promised and released her. Monger extended his hand and he took it.

„The order is to return." he said and made Dr. Cockroach smile. Monger nodded. „We will go on with the wires." he told him and pointed at the places where the wires went into the walls. „We meet you there. After we went around and bugged them all. Sorry for the pun."

„I will be there." Dr. Cockroach promised.

„See you on the other side."

With that the Doc crawled through the hole and started to cross the hall over that really big wire. Susan and Monger followed him with their eyes for at least a minute until he was too far away to still see him. Then they went on themselves.

...

There was a big hole in the black pyramide. The smoke was still rising from it, making it look even more like a wound. And it wasn´t the only building around that was damaged. The robots lay dead on the ground, one of them even smashed after Toadagantua had jumped on it. But that didn´t change the fact that the pyramide was smashed as well.

„Man." Link groaned. „What a mess. Thats even worse than Frisko last year."

Behind him Butterflyosaurus roared. Link turned around. „Well, because this is Vegas." he explained. „I mean look around." he shook his head. „I can´t believe that we never came here earlier."

Butterflyosaurus roared again. He seemed to agree. The whole scenery was depressing. A pitiful imitation of a war zone.

„I still don´t get it." one of the technicians that investigated the defeated robots cried. „It is dead but I can´t figure out why."

„You want to know why?" one of the soldiers asked and raised his weapon. „Thats why."

„No. Thats not what I mean." the technician answered unimpressed. „I talk about the failing in the deflector shield. They never failed before. And suddenly it refuses its service? Why?"

„Perhaps the shift was over." a second soldier joked. The technician threw him a bored look.

Henderson joined them. „Status, Carter." he demanded to know.

The technician jumped down to him and saluted. „The system seems to work." he reported. „Its out of control but the energy is still there. We could probably repair it and learn how to use it."

„How long?"

Carter shrugged. „Two years?" he said. „I said its still running but not that it can run. Your guys did a hell of a job destroying it. If we want to repair it, we need time … and resources that we don´t have at the moment. Working machines of our own for example."

„Yeah, yeah. I understand." Henderson groaned and tried to hold in a new sneezer. „Can you at least give us anything? A weakness of these things?" he asked. Then the sneezing came anyway.

„Thats what I still try to figure out." the technician said. „We have no idea why the forcefield failed. It could have been a complete coincidence. A failure inside the system is too much to hope. It was probably only a failure in the construction of this very probe. Or it was …"

In that moment Henderson sneezed again, louder this time and wiped his nose with an annoyed gesture. „Sorry." he said. „Go on."

Carter opened his mouth to do so, when he was interrupted again.

„Wait!" Link cried and ran over to them. He looked at the Major with wide eyes.

„What?" Henderson asked. „What is it?"

„He did it." Link said. „The … The sneezing, I mean. He did that when the robot had him."

Henderson and Carter exchanged a wondering glance.

„Don´t you understand?" Link said. „He sneezed at that thing and five minutes later it started to … you know … stumbling and shivering."

„Like it had a cold?" one of the soldiers chipped in. Link nodded, happy that at least one guy got his drift.

„You really mean, that this thing was infected by one sneeze of the Major?" Carter asked doubtful.

„Of course." Link argued. „Did you never see Independence Day? There they infected the alien ship with a virus too."

„With a computer virus." the technician argued. When he noticed the look Henderson gave him, he flinched. „And that was just a film." he added quickly.

„But you saw it." Link grinned.

Behind him Butterflyosaurus roared and now it was Link who flinched. „Okay, okay." he said. „Whatever. But do you have a better idea?" he looked at Henderson. „Does it hurt to check it out? Just in case, I mean."

Henderson thought about it and then nodded. „He is right." he said and sneezed again. „God dammit." he cursed. „Check it." he then ordered Carter. The technician looked at Link doubtful but obeyed and went back to the robot.

...

In another city the people were not as lucky as in Vegas. Sure the soldiers had managed to destroy one of the robots and rumors said that outside the city near Quantico there was another destroyed probe, but that didn´t change the fact that there were still two other robots and their city a war zone, with constant shooting and screams in the distance, where they had to fear for their lives. It started to get dark now and who knew what would be when all lights were gone. People were afraid already but as soon as they couldn´t see anymore what was around the next corner, they would start to panic and that was even more dangerous than the shooting aliens. They seemed to shoot only at food factories and whatever contained food or water in any way. Harriet Dutton had noticed that but she doubted that anyone else of these headless idiots had.

It seemed cruel that she thought of her fellow refugees as idiots but since she and Amy were on the run, they had seen enough dimwits to know that it was justified to use that word. There had been three guys barely old enough to be her grandsons, who had carried guns and clubs they probably got from an abandoned gun shop. They had laughed and cheered like cowboys and even shot into the air with no reason at all. Harriet guessed they had been drunk from Liqueur that came from an abandoned drugstore or so. Amy had clung to her shoulder until they were gone. If only one of them had spotted them and got the stupid idea to offer them their doubtful protection (and maybe ask Amy to pay for their services) Harriet guessed she would have strangled them with her bare hands. The girl might be a successful legal representative in real life but right here and now she was her little grandchild and no one, alien or human, should dare to come close to her as long as she was still breathing. But that was the point. She was seventy-two. How was she supposte to ensure the safety of the two of them? Especially at night? They had to find a place to go. A place that they could lock.

Most people were hiding in the underground now. She had seen them running to the stations. Amy wanted to follow them but Harriet had denied it. To many people in one place was no good news. Just one of them needed to panic and the crowd would turn into a stampede of trembling and stomping animals. No.

Then the three drunks were back in her head. For some reason she was not able to banish them from her memory. They had been like rats that came back to your house again and again, no matter how many holes you stuffed. As if they wanted to bug her. She had tried to avoid their picture. What good could it have to think about them again and again anyway? Sure they had frightened Amy but they were harmless idiots. Harmless except for the fact that they carried heavy weapons. But they had probably shot each others foots and asses by now. There was no reason to bother about them. Not at all …

And then she suddenly knew it. It was like the illumination of a formally dark room. Why hadn´t she thought about that earlier? She had seen their weapons for gods sake! Of course. That was the clue she had looked for so badly since all this had started. Something that would help her and Amy to fight if necessary. To protect themselves at least. When these stupids had found that gun shop then they could find it too. And a store was something to hide in as well. That was it. In her mind she thanked her dearest departed father and her big brother for their lessons in military strategy as a child. She had known they would come in handy one day. It had needed sixty years but the moment had come. She took Amy´s hand and dragged her over the street.

„Were we going, Granny?" she asked. „Its getting dark."

„No worry, kiddo." she said. „I know, where to go."

...

Monger affixed the explosive at the wire and set the activator. They would blew all the packages at once when they were ready and hopefully out of reach. Until then they would hopefully not be detected and when the time was up they would hopefully be enough to blow the whole goddamn ship. Too many hopefullys for Mongers taste. But what else could they do?

He took his hand back and closed the backpack. Susan closed the hole, she had opened and then hurried after him. That had been the second wire they had bugged until now and there were still four to go. The way around this hall was much farther than she had expected. Every reason to hurry. But that was not the thing that bothered her. Since they had separated from Dr. Cockroach they hadn´t talked a single word. That was it, what bothered her.

„Don´t you want to say something?" she finally asked carefully, while she tried to keep up with him.

„What do you want me to say?" he asked without looking at her.

„Well. Anything." she said confused. She looked at him and finally found the bravery to say: „Perhaps just `I love you´."

He flinched a little and finally stopped and turned to her. His look was hurt as if she had insulted him. He shook his head.

„Susan, please." he said. „Don´t do that."

_(Derrek, please, don´t do that)_

„What?" she asked.

„Don´t ask for things, you don´t want." he said and walked on.

„What makes you think, I wouldn´t …?" she demanded to know but suddenly got an idea, that made her smile. „Are we already jealous, General?" she asked teasing.

„We are nothing." he answered angry and that made her angry as well.

„You are acting ridiculous." she hissed and hurried after him again. „If you think you need to be stubborn and closed minded like a child, then …"

In this moment (she had just caught up with him) he spun around and jumped at her, that it made her shriek. He grabbed her and threw her down to the ground, pressing himself deep to the ground next to her. „Stay down." he hissed.

A second later a sound that was familiar to Susan, approached and another second later a hover platform rushed through the hallway and passed them. She already believed, the alien on it hadn´t seen them, but then it slowed down and spun around. Monger was on his feet immediately and aimed at the thing with his gun. The thing aimed at them as well. Then it shot. A yellow laser beam hit the wall of the tunnel, sending metal fragments down. The explosives, it shot through Susan´s mind and in an act of pure instinct, she grabbed the backpack to shield it with her body.

Monger ducked and shot back at the alien. He hit it and the thing flinched. Though it was still on its flying device. He shot again. This time he hit it better. The alien trembled and fell off the machine. The floating device swirled and crashed into the wall. All this happened within maybe five seconds. The alien lay on the ground, still alive. It raised its gun again. Monger shot it but the laser was already on its way. It hit the wall again, right where Susan stood. She ducked down but the laser smashed the wall right next to her.

„Susan!" Monger yelled. He rushed over to her and found her lying on the floor, her crooked back exposed to him. Was she hurt? Was she still concious? He knelt down beside her and lay his hand on her shoulders to turn her around. When his hand touched her, she winced. When she faced him and learned that it wasn´t the alien, she jumped up and hugged him – no, clung to him like a drowning person. He was just stunned for a moment. But then he lay his arms around her, holding her tight. Embracing her. After a while, he felt her relaxing in his arms.

„Are you all right?" he asked after they released each other.

„I shielded the explosives." she explained still buzzing.

He looked at her startled. „Are you crazy?" he asked.

She just grinned and shrugged. „It seems so." she chuckled.

After five more seconds he sighed and finally relaxed himself. He didn´t even know what to answer to such a statement. She just sat there right in front of him, grinning like a child and didn´t care about anything. God, she was just so …

They inched closer to each other. He could almost feel her breath. He closed his eyes, already inhaling her sent when a sound behind them made them flinch and spin around. He instinctively shielded her from whatever it could be. But there was nothing. Only the floating device of the alien, that had hummed at the wall, where it still lay, completely harmless. Susan giggled slightly behind his back.

„You don´t need to protect me, General." she said.

„Sometimes I´m not so sure about that." he replied with a grin. He turned back to the alien machine. „Well, at least now we have a taxi cap." he said and threw her a glance. „I drive."

She didn´t object. After they had managed it to stabilize the alien device, they mounted it. The system was still online, so it was no big deal to start it. Monger pushed a button that he assumed to be the starter and the platform rushed forward. Susan entwined her arms around him, like the girlfriends of bikers used to do it and cheered. Her laughter echoed through the tunnel along with his joyful Yeehaaaa!

...

„The carrier of the Quantonium nor any other monster could be located in the city locally known as Washington." the computer-voice said.

„Then go back to this other city." Gallaxhessa demanded. „The one we scanned before. She has to be with the others. Perhaps we just overlooked her."

The screen changed and zoomed back to Las Vegas. As soon as the picture was closing in, Gallaxhessa saw something that seemed to affirm her guess. The first time she had only seen one monster that was with the humans. This green one with the scales. But now she saw two others. A second green one that was bigger than the first one and a much bigger one with wings. They were standing around one of the destroyed robot probes. When the picture got closer, Gallaxhessa also saw what they were looking at. It seemed as if the humans tried to reactivate her robots. They probably thought they would have a chance to use them against her. She chuckled. Stupid earthlings.

But that proved it. If all these monsters were there, the carrier had to be there as well. She just hadn´t spotted her yet. But no worry. The robot probes would. As soon as they reached the target. And if they had to rip the whole city apart to find her.

„Computer." she said. „Start more robot probes and send them down into this city. I want them to find the carrier. It is time to get the Quantonium back to where it belongs."

„How many probes shell I activate?" the computer asked.

Gallaxhessa counted. „Five." she said. „No wait. Better … ten." An evil smile broadened at her face. „I will give her no chance to hide from me." she said.

„Start activation-sequence." the computer told her.

Gallaxhessa smiled. Soon the victory would be hers.

...

The alienships hanger, before so overcrowded with people now looked as empty as the death valley on a day with open public swimming pools. All the former prisoners were now inside of the alien robots, waiting for McNamara and the other volunteers to figure out the mechanism, so they could fly back to earth.

Nicols and his team, now extended about their Boss General Bryce, were the only ones left at the floor. Alisha and Bryce had bandaged Perez´s leg, more bad than good (they had used Alisha´s red pirat headband to do so) but it would last. At least a while. He still squinted his eyes in pain nevertheless.

„Don´t we have any painkillers with us?" he asked. „Or at least a sip of Tequila?"

Bryce shot him a sharp glance, that made him duck down.

„Just asking." he mumbled.

„We´re getting out here soon." Bryce promised. „As soon as these geeks up there are getting something."

„With Zach in there, no big deal." Perez mumbled. „He´s hacking everything."

Alisha, Nicols and even Bryce looked at him in surprise. That was the moment when he realized himself what he just said. „Did I really say this?" he asked puzzled.

„Loud and clear." McNamara called down from the door in the robots head and started to climb down the latter. Behind him, the other men followed.

B.O.B. started to laugh. „Man, he has some good ears." he said.

„Yeah." Perez groaned. „Thanks a lot."

„Boss! I´ve got good news and bad news." McNamara cried still coming down the latter.

„The good news first." Bryce demanded.

„The good news is: We can start the engines of these bloody things. And we will be able to control them as soon as every one of them has bridged their codes, what will be easy after we cracked that one." he had reached the ground and turned to face them. „They can even comunicate with each other through the intern com-system." he added.

„That sounds great." Bryce said honestly impressed. „What can be the bad news after that?"

„Well … after we hacked into the system, we found …"

One of the other men that came down the latter, bumped into his back and distracted him. He stepped aside and waved them to go on. „Yeah, get out. Go." he said. „Out. Out. And into the other robots. Each of you into another one. They will need pilots. Start the engines at my signal and then …"

In this moment the engines of the robots around them came to life on their own. Everybody flinched at the sudden sound and ducked their heads. When they looked up they saw the four eyes of the robots starting to glow and the connections the heads had had with the walls, flipped of with loud fuzzing sounds.

„Ooookay." McNamara shouted. „As you were. Forget what I said. Back inside. Inside. Go! Go! Go!"

The men who were still halfway down changed course and rushed back into the robot.

„You should go too, Boss." Nicols suggested.

Bryce just looked at him, without saying a word. Nicols raised both eyebrows.

„Or you stay." he said smiling. „Works for me."

Right in the moment when the last one of the technicians was back in the robot and the door closed, the robots started to move.

„They will open the gate." Bryce cried. „Hold on to something."

Nicols and Alisha grabbed the heel of the platform and Bryce and McNamara clung to the guardrail, Perez leaned on. B.O.B. just jumped at the wall, affixing himself there. Then the gates went open and a sudden blast hit the air they were breathing. It was so hard that it almost felt as if no oxygen was left for them. Thats the way it must feel in space, Nicols thought. But then it was over. They could still feel the wind, coming in through the open gate but there was was no danger anymore.

The robots walked over to the edge and then jumped out. The five soldiers and one monster couldn´t do anything but watch.

...

On the bridge of the ship, Gallaxhessa watched the robots leaving as well. She was more than satisfied until something caught her attention. The prisoners. Where were the prisoners? They should be in the hangar.

„Computer." she cried. „Where are the humans?"

„Prisoners no longer contained." the computer told her.

„Stupid computer." Gallaxhessa hissed. „I can see that myself."

Right in that moment a whining sound came from behind her, approaching slowly. She turned around and saw her crock-dog schlepping in, looking at her pleading and whining. He was covered with a blue slime. When Gallaxhessa saw this, she got very, very angry. She hit the console with her fist.

„They broke free." she shrieked. Her tentacles hit out like whips. One of them hit the crock-dog and threw him back to the door he had just crawled through. Gallaxhessa didn´t even pay attention.

„Send all the remaining clones to the hangar." she ordered the computer. „Immediately. Catch them, before they infect my ship."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

...

Dr. Cockroach had just affixed the last C-4 package and set the activator. Now the main power core was studded with enough explosives to tear the whole ship apart like a paper boat of origami. He took the empty backpack and crawled to the one cable that led to the point where he and the others had agreed to meet. He had just reached it, when a huge alien head suddenly appeared in front of the main power core. Quickly he hid behind the cable, so it wouldn´t see him. The alien that was projected into the air, looked strange for some reason. When he looked closer he understood why. It was a female alien. A line from Alice in Wonderland suddenly popped up into his head: Things are getting curiouser and curiouser.

„All aliens." the female alien said and made Dr. C wonder once more. This voice. He had heard it before. Wasn´t that the voice of the computer on Gallaxhars ship? Well, if that wasn´t strange. But then she said something that made him forget about all the theories about that matter, that had started to come up completely unbidden, mostly containing psychological matters of pairbondings and separations.

She said: „The prisoners escaped. Go down to the hangar and catch them. Let no one of them escape."

„Hail Gallaxhessa." the clones cried unisono.

„Forget about that!" the big projected head cried angry. „Go and get them!"

The clones flinched and then rushed away immediately. The projection shut itself off, leaving Dr. Cockroach with two very big and very worried eyes.

„That is not good." he mumbled to himself and immediately hurried to reach the meeting point. He could only hope, that Susan and Monger would already be there. Otherwise it would mean trouble. Big trouble.

* * *

**What will happen to our heroes? Will they … Oh dammit. I can´t do it. Whatever. You know yourself that you have to be back next week to find out. So lets just skip that.**

**I just finish as always by saying: Thanks for reading. Over now. …... *static***


	20. Chapter 20 Second Round

**Hi, Claws. Where have you been? Well, I guess this time you don´t need to send any ninja´s. Hope that was fast enough for you. You want me on the dark side? Thought you already saw me there. I was the one waving a flag. A black one of course. Maybe that was the reason you overlooked me.**

**Suewe: Thanks again and your welcome. About your question. Well, the ideas are coming from that little guy in the back of my head I guess. I can´t put it better than that. When a story wants to be told it finds someone to write it down. I actually believe that not I am the one who makes it up. Its far too good for that. So that means it has to come from somewhere else. Sounds weird? I know. But you know what? Every writer is somehow crazy. They only found a way to canalize it into something productive. Train your mind to misbehave (thats a quote from the book "Bag of Bones").**

**So after I confused you as best as I could – lets go on.**

* * *

**Second Round**

The big hall around the main power core was empty. The clones had left just two minutes ago but it already felt like hours. Dr. Cockroach couldn´t remember ever seeing this place so deserted. As far as he knew it, it was always crowded with aliens. Now he felt like the last survivor of a ghost city. He sat on the huge cable right at the wall and waited for Susan and Monger to open the door for him. He could only hope that they were still on their way to collect him. If they wouldn´t come – for what reason he didn´t even want to think about now – he had no idea what he should do. Shouldn´t they be here already? How much time had passed since they separated? Thirty minutes? An hour? A week?

Again and again he looked back to the power core. The explosives were there. He could even spot one of them. Or was it a shadow? It didn´t matter. They were there. Ready to strike. As soon as they all were safely in the saucer and on their way back home. At least that had been the plan. But how should he know? How was he supposte to know if the original plan would still work out? As far as he knew, the others could be caught by now or even worse. The order was simple. Destroy the ship no matter how or what the costs are. Every one of us is expendable. But could he do that? If it would come to it? Would he be able to go through with that? Sacrificing all his friends to safe the earth. Mathematical it made absolute sense. Monger would agree with that. But this was not a mathematical problem. It was a problem of conciousness. Would he be able to live with that?

How often had Monger called him soldier over the last year? Just for fun of course or perhaps because he was simply used to that naming. An though this nickname had pleased him, it was not true. He was no soldier. He was a scientist. And right in this moment he wasn´t even that anymore. He was someone that was worried about his friends and his own future. About the future of everything on earth. Once when he had had the crazy idea to equip mankind with Cockroaches abilities, he had never imagined that one day, the whole fate of mankind could last on his shoulders.

But obviously it had happened. Like so many other things that had not been planned. And no matter if he liked it or not, he had to cope with it and even more important, to accept his own responsibility. He knew the aliens were on their way to the hangar. To catch the prisoners and the soldiers that had rescued them. He didn´t know when Susan and Monger would be back – if they ever would be back. So if one and one is two, what is the only possible solution, Doc?

He took his decision. He couldn´t afford to wait any longer. Nicols and his team would need help and he was maybe the only one who could warn them. With a last glance at the wall, he turned away from it and started to head back to the power core to crawl to the passage way the aliens had disappeared through over another cable and then to look for a way to reach the hangar before the aliens did. He had managed a few meters when he heard a loud bang behind him. He was so startled by the sudden burst, he almost lost balance.

...

In the same moment, when a loud bang that smashed the wall, almost send Dr. Cockroach on a sliding tour down to the deepest ground of the alien ship, a rather funny sound made Petty Officer Nicols in the hangar spin around. First he couldn´t think of anything that would cause such a sound. It sounded like dozens and dozens of bubbles that burst one after the other. Something you expected to hear in a cartoon when Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck were taking a bath with lots and lots of soap. Only that these soap bubbles seemed to move, to approach them. And then he just knew what it was.

„They are coming." he yelled and ran to the door.

In the very second he looked out into the hallway, aiming at whatever would come there, the aliens came around the corner. The first of them saw him and shot at him with a laser canon. Nicols had no time to react. The beam was at him within half a second and the only thing he knew was, that suddenly an agonizing pain shot through his shoulder, his arm, his head and a big part of his chest.

„Chief!" someone cried and then there was gunfire. A hand lay down on his shoulder and the pain got worse. He cried out as if a bomb had hit him.

„Bring him away." the voice of the Boss ordered and Alisha grabbed him to help him stand up.

But what was meant as help only caused more pain. He cried out loud. She immediately drew back her hands while Nicols writhed. He tried to grab his shoulder in an instinctive gesture of self preservation and learned that it was not a good idea.

„Impact." the Boss yelled and Alisha shielded Nicols as best as she could when the grenades went of, blocking the hallway on both sites of the gate, so the aliens wouldn´t come through.

„Ben?" Alisha asked worried after the dust had cleared.

„It feels like my flesh is burning." he managed it to hiss.

Another hand touched his shoulder and made him cry out again.

„Its not a deep wound." Bryce told him after he examined the wound for a moment. „Probably just a graze."

„It doesn´t feel that way." Nicols hissed. New pain thudded through his shoulder. He threw his head back. „God!"

„He is bloody lucky with that." McNamara said. „As far as I know, these weapons kill with the first shot."

„I´ll try to keep that in mind." Nicols replied and had to restrain the urge to touch the wound again.

„The blocks won´t hold them of forever." Bryce reminded. „B.O.B. Is there another exit out of this room?"

„Well. The ventilation I looked through."

„That is too small." McNamara told him.

B.O.B. shrugged. „Then I don´t know any. Except …" He looked over to the gate, the robot probes had vanished through.

„No option." Bryce said. „Not without parachutes."

„Monger always has one." B.O.B. told him.

Bryce gave him an undefinable look and then nodded. „Yeah." he said somehow tired. „He truly has."

There were buzzing sounds from the barricades, that caught his attention.

„They try to cut through." he stated. „It won´t take more than a few minutes. Zach, Lisha. Grenades."

The two Marines went into the hallway, placing grenades along the barricades. Bryce watched over them with an aiming gun until they were back.

„That won´t help for long either." Alisha said.

At his place by the guardrail, Perez took his gun and loaded it. „If I go down in here, I promise I take as many of them with me as I can."

„I´m in." McNamara said.

„Me too." Nicols added as weak as he was with all the pain in his arm and Alisha nodded in agreement.

„I´m in too." B.O.B. said with a serious gaze that made Bryce smile. He probably guessed that the blue guy only went along with the others like a parrot. But it didn´t matter. He would fight.

„Okay." the Admiral said. „Lets make a stand. Positions."

The four of them went to the gate and took cover at it, their guns aiming at the barricades, where they expected the aliens to come through every minute. The sound of their cutting was much closer now. Another sudden sound made McNamara jump and spin around. A sound from above. Something had hit the metal of the ceiling and kept hitting it. McNamara cocked his gun, ready to shoot.

„Wait." Nicols cried from his place at the floor and took his elbow. „Wait a second."

Another bang hit the ceiling. Bryce looked back and forth between his men, the ceiling and the barricades, not sure what to expect. So did Alisha. McNamara was so tensed, he would have shivered if he hadn´t been so frozen. Finally a fist came down through the metal of the ceiling. A human fist. Though McNamara was so startled about this that he pulled the trigger without wanting it. The bullet hit the ceiling just a few inches away from the fist.

„Don´t!" Nicols cried and grabbed Zach´s arm.

„I´m sorry, I …" he stuttered. „I … didn´t mean to."

Above them two female hands ribbed open the ceiling, producing a hole big enough for a human to climb through. Then a head peeked down. A white head.

„Ahhh." Perez cried relieved. „My hero!"

„They are down there." Susan said.

„Then lets get them up here." Monger yelled. „B.O.B."

„Check." the blue blob answered eagerly, rushed to the place right beneath the hole and stretched himself up to it, holding to the edge. „Hey, guys." he greeted with a wide smile, looking up to them from the edge. „Nice that you dropped in."

„What are you waiting for?" Monger yelled down to the others. „Come on! Move!"

„Move." Bryce ordered his men in a whisper tone, not leaving his position at the gate. „Perez and Nicols first."

„I don´t know, if I can walk." Perez said.

Now Bryce left his position. Alisha took over while he walked over to Perez, grabbed him and forced him to stand up.

„Wow." the big guy exhaled, while Bryce shoved him over to B.O.B. „Look at this. Its a miracle."

„Hurry." Bryce ordered and returned to the gate.

Perez hold on to B.O.B. with one hand and hold Nicols with the other, since the Petty Officer couldn´t use his arm properly enough to hold himself. Then B.O.B. shot up, sending the two men up very, very fast.

„B.O.B." Susan cried alarmed. „Stop!"

He did just before the two mens heads hit the ceiling. They winced and stared at the metal for a moment. Perez blew up his cheeks in relief, while Nicols just exhaled and dropped his head, fighting the pain, that again shot through his arm. Perez handed him over to Monger and Dr. Cockroach who pulled him up together, up into the pipe, that reminded strongly on a usual ventilation shaft. Then he raised his own hand, taking Susan´s, so she could pull him up as well. Her pull was much faster than he had expected, because of her strength. His leg collided with the edge and he groaned in pain and grabbed it.

„What is it?" Susan asked worried grabbing his shoulders in a gesture of care. When he groaned this time he sounded pleased.

„Reunited at last." he said.

„What happened to your leg?" Susan asked.

„A gator wanted a piece of me." he said not less proud. „Didn´t do him much good."

„The poor animal might suffer from food poisoning now." Alisha, who just arrived, said and climbed up with Dr. C´s help. Susan bit her lip to not to laugh.

On the other side of the hole Monger had a look at Nicols shoulder. The man winced and hissed in pain. Alisha and the Doc rushed to him.

„A laser wound." Dr. C recognized and took something from his pocket. It was a little bottle. He opened it and started to cast the content on the wound.

„What is that?" Alisha asked.

„Something your sister gave me." Dr. Cockroach answered. „It might help with the pain."

Nicols took some heavy breaths but finally breathed more even. „Its fading." he affirmed. Then he looked up to Alisha. „Your sister seems to be really good."

„It runs in the family." Alisha smirked.

Down in the hangar something exploded.

„They are braking through!" McNamara shouted and then there was gunfire.

„Zach!" Perez and Alisha cried unisono.

„Up! Go!" they heard Bryce´s voice and soon Zach was at B.O.B. and rushed up to them. Meanwhile Bryce shot at the oncoming aliens, holding his gun with one hand and throwing grenades with the other one.

„He needs backup!" Monger yelled. „Susan. Hold me."

With that he already was halfway out of the hole and had probably fallen if Susan hadn´t grabbed his legs in the very last second.

„Are you crazy?" she cried down to him but he was already shooting and didn´t hear her at all.

His bullets burst away the aliens, that were about to run over Bryce.

„Come on, Gary!" he yelled. „Move your ass!"

Bryce ran to B.O.B. and let him pull him up. As soon as he reached the edge he climbed, almost jumped in, followed by B.O.B. Down in the hangar, some aliens had managed it to enter despite of Mongers fire and now aimed at him themselves. Susan grabbed his arm and pulled him back in, just a second before the laser shot through the hole. Everybody threw himself to the ground to avoid a hit. Susan covered Monger with her body, ducking down as deep as she could. The laser hit the ceiling, bursting a hole into it and sending the fragments down to the aliens, who had to run to not to get hit themselves. They started to curse in their strange alien language.

„Are you all right?" Susan asked when they were sure, the fire was gone.

„I´m fine." Monger answered and then grinned. „You know, you don´t need to protect me."

She sighed relieved and smirked. „Sometimes I´m not so sure about that, General."

„We should get out of here." Bryce suggested. „Before they figure out how to come up to us."

The others agreed and the group started to crawl out of the shaft, leaving the hole to the hangar behind. At the end of it, a floating device was waiting for them. McNamara´s eyes started to glow when he saw it.

„Wow. What a machine." he said impressed.

„Very good." Bryce agreed. „Put Perez on it. He starts to become heavy."

Perez grinned at McNamara in a teasing way. „Ah, come on, pal." he said. „I´ll let you borrow it from time to time."

„Get up." Bryce said and helped him to mount it. „We don´t have the whole day. Where do we go now?"

„To the saucer." Nicols answered.

„No." McNamara objected. „We can´t go now. Not yet."

„What?" Perez asked confused.

„Why not?" Bryce demanded to know.

„Because of the bloody robots." McNamara said. „When I hacked into the system of the one I was in, I saw something that looked like a bloody A.I. algorithm. It was working with high speed, transmitting signals in less than a thousandth of a second, acting absolutely independently. It also seems to have a learning program, that enables it to …"

„Hey, hey, hey." Bryce cried. „Stop! In English, please."

„Yeah, man." Perez agreed. „I didn´t understand a word you said."

„Sorry, Boss." McNamara apologized. „What I try to say is, that these things work like hundreds and hundreds of external brains. They receive orders from this ship, yes. But they have a subprogram in their system that allows them to work on their own. I guess thats some sort of a backup program in case the connection should be interrupted or something. It makes sure they continue their task even if they don´t get orders constantly."

„That means, if we blow up this ship …" Nicols started to get the drift.

„We have uncountable death stars on the rampage running free on our planet." McNamara affirmed. „If we want to stop those things, we have to do it from here. Before we blow up the ship."

„How do we do that?" Monger wanted to know.

„I see only one bloody way." McNamara answered. „I have to hack into the system of this ship. From the main terminal."

There was a brief silence after he said that. Finally Dr. Cockroach spoke out what they all guessed would be the resolution of his plan. He said: „And that is on the bridge."

Major Henderson looked at his watch. Five thirty p.m. The technicians were busy with these damn robots for almost an hour now. How long could it take to examine a damage as simple as the one produced by gunfire? The day was almost over and they would soon run out of daylight. If they would not find anything to light their way, it would be a hell of a game of blind man´s buff. The thought was almost frightening. Who had ever heard about a night in Vegas that was actually dark?

It wouldn´t be so damn strange if they had found anything to eat. Of course, the soldiers had their own food supplies. That was common sense in the military. But the civilians would run out of food soon. It was strange. It seemed as if these robots had shot down almost every food factory, restaurant and even each and every corner drug store in this city. It is as if they try to starve us out, he thought uneasy. Like people used to do it in the middle age, when they besieged a castle.

Suddenly a humming sound came from the robot and broke his thoughts. It made him and all the others spin around. The soldiers grabbed their weapons, ready to shoot.

„Hold on!" a voice from inside the robot yelled and then a hand came out of the door, followed by the head of the leading technician, Mr. Carter. „That was me." he told them. „I think we just brought it online again."

„I can see that." Henderson said. „The question is: Is that thing still dangerous?"

„I don´t think so." Carter answered. „But I believe we can use it to bring the power back on."

„You can?"

„Give me a little more time and we will …" he paused and looked down inside. He vanished for a moment, checking on something.

„Hey!" Henderson called up to him. „Talk to me, Cable Guy." He got no answer.

Link appeared beside him. „Hey." he greeted. „What is it? Does he finally have something?"

„Thats what I try to ask him." Henderson said and yelled for the technician again.

The man reappeared in the door. „I … I think I just found something." he explained reluctantly.

„What?"

Carter hesitated. Next to Henderson Link started to grin. „I was right, right?" he guessed. „About the virus. Come on, you can admit it."

Carter made a face that showed how pissed he was to loose that argument. Link cheered.

„Cool." he said.

„Does that mean we can defeat them by infecting them with the flu?" Henderson asked.

„As simple as that." Link answered before the technician had a chance to say something. He was so up for it, he couldn´t stop grinning.

„How you imagine it to be done?" Carter finally asked. „There are dozens if not hundreds of thousands of these robots around the globe. We can´t just sneeze at every one of them."

„And without electricity we can´t tell anyone about this trick either." Henderson agreed.

„Perhaps we don´t need to." Link said. „These things are controlled by the space ship, aren´t they?" The two men nodded. „Well. Then all we have to do is sending the Doc a message, letting him know what to do. He´ll find a way to infect that thing."

„And how do you figure we do that?" Henderson asked.

Link only looked up to the technician. The man winced slightly and then thought. „I could find a way to activate the communication system." he guessed.

„Do it." Henderson ordered and Carter vanished inside the robot again. The Major turned to Link. He sneezed and then said: „There is just one more thing. If we send a message up there … won´t the aliens hear it as well?"

Link didn´t know what to answer. This thought hadn´t occurred to him yet. But now he had to admit that the Major was right. Damn, he hated it to be on the way like this and to get dumped by someone saying something reasonable.

„You better find a way to tell your friend what he needs to know without telling it the aliens." the Major said.

„How am I supposte to do that?" Link asked.

„Never heard about codes?" the Major asked.

„Monger is up there." Link remembered. „At least I guess so. I mean … doesn´t the military has a code, we can use?"

„I´m afraid there is no code in the book, that says: Sneeze at the enemy." Henderson said. „At least none that I know. You´ll have to find your own code."

Link felt very helpless in this moment. He had never cared about things like that. The Doc would know something. He probably even knew the military code by heart. But he wasn´t the Doc. He was just the lazy old Link. Good in sneaking away when it came to unwanted duty. But when it came about working with the head …

„He is your friend." Henderson said amazingly soft. „You know each other for more than forty years. There must be something you can say to make him understand."

Link sighed. Over forty years, all right. That truly was a long time. God, it was. How had it happened that all these years were already over? It sounded so much but right now, that he thought about it, it seemed it was just some weeks ago. Had it really been that long? Things had been different then. They had been prisoners, then. The gruff Captain Monger had been their warden and the Doc had come up with a new escape attempt every second day. And they had blown it every second day. In a matter of fact, there had been only one time he could remember, when they had took a brake from it for a while. And that had been after …

There it was. The brainstorm he had been waiting for. Now he knew how to tell the Doc. Of course. Why didn´t he think of that earlier? It was so simple. Simple but genius. That was the answer. He was sure, the Doc would remember it as well. There was no alternative anyway. He just had to remember. He had to.

* * *

**And now we are signing off. Be back again next time. Same time, same place ;-) **

**Thanks for reading. Nur out. **


	21. Chapter 21 Over The Bridge

**Hey there. Back again. Oh man, what a week. But now its over thank god. On the other hand. After the week is before the week. Darn! **

**Don´t get me wrong. I love to work. Its always a great satisfaction to know you accomplished something. But I love my free time even more. More time to write.**

**Whatever. Lets make the best of it. Two days are ours.**

* * *

**Over the Bridge**

B.O.B.´s eye peeked around the corner and flipped back again. A moment later the group of soldiers and monsters hurried into the hallway he just checked.

„That is better than any equipment we could use." Perez whispered down from his hover platform, much to B.O.B.´s delight.

„We are lucky already, that they haven´t detected us yet." Nicols said.

„Hey, by the way, Chief." Perez asked. „How´s the arm?"

„Getting better." Nicols said. „But don´t ask me to arm-wrestle the next week."

„No problem, Chief." Perez said smirking and gave him a thumb up. After finishing this chat, Perez turned to Susan, who walked on his right side. He cleared his throat. „By the way." he said. „This thing is big enough for two if you want a ride."

Susan smiled. „Thanks." she said and looked over to Monger. „But I´m fine."

Perez frowned and then understood. „Oh." he groaned quietly. A sudden beeping coming from the controls in front of him, made him frown again. „What the heck?" he mumbled and tipped the panel with his finger.

„Whats that?" Nicols asked alarmed.

„I dunno, Chief." Perez answered honestly. „Zach. You are the techie here. Do something."

„Can they locate us over … that thing?" Bryce wanted to know.

„Hm." Dr. Cockroach mused rubbing his chin. „I don´t think that it is that. Let me see."

He climbed up to Perez, making the big guy stepping back and looked at the controls. In front of Perez he looked like a child that wanted to see Daddy´s motorcycle. He pushed some buttons and got a noise that sounded like shrieking metal. It wasn´t loud but it was very unpleasant to hear.

„What the hell is that, Doc?" Monger wanted to know.

„Thats a transmission." Dr. C answered already looking around for what he would need next. His gaze ended at B.O.B. and brightened. The blue blob flinched surprised. Dr. C bowed down and opened the housing of the device. A second later he came back up with some wires in his hand.

„B.O.B." he called. „I need your assistance."

„What shell I do?" B.O.B. asked eagerly and rushed to his side.

„Take this." the Doc said giving the wires to B.O.B. each in one hand. B.O.B. already started to glow, widening his eye in astonishment about his own appearance. Dr. C leaned over the controls again, pushing button after button in the attempt to find the right frequency. Finally he seemed to have what he was looking for.

„Now stretch yourself, B.O.B." he said. „As far as you can. You will be our screen."

„Cool." B.O.B. said and did as the Doc had wished. Five seconds later he was a big tetragon, standing in front of the hovering device.

„Wow." Perez groaned impressed. „A plasma screen."

„Really?" B.O.B asked. „Where?"

„Its you B.O.B." Dr. C explained without looking up. He was still working on the right frequency.

„Do you get the premium channels, too?" Perez asked but got another sharp glance from Bryce.

„Now …" Dr. C went on without even taking attention to Perez or any of the others. „ … we should be able to see what it is." He switched it a last time and then the glowing of B.O.B. changed. The blue glowing became white and a moment later they saw … oh shocking, Links face.

„Link!" Susan cried happy. „Is everything all right?"

The image of Link didn´t answer. He seemed to look at someone outside the screen, as if waiting for something.

„I don´t think this is a second way communication, Susan." Dr. C said. „This is just a transmission. Only sending, no receiving."

„Does it work?" Link asked now. „Okay. Ehm. Well … Hi." he greeted with a raised hand and grinned. „I don´t have much tape time so I make it short. For fairness´ sake I wanted you aliens up there to know that we started to kick your robots in the butts. Yeah, thats right. So if you decide that you have enough, now its the time to turn around and leave. Cause it was the invisible man who helped us defeating your robots. I met him a week ago and he told me how to do it. Well and now we do it. Got me? So if you know whats best for you … take your legs. Ehm, or your tentacles. Bye there." The image flickered a moment and then the message started all over again.

„He met the invisible man?" Monger repeated wondering. „What does that mean?"

„Isn´t he … dead?" Susan asked.

„Before he died …" Dr. Cockroach mumbled but stopped so he could think about it. Then his eyes brightened again when he remembered something. „A week before he had his heart attack, he had a cold." he told them.

Monger blinked when he remembered it himself. „Yeah, thats right." he said. „But how …"

„Link tried to send us a message with that." Dr. C explained, still thinking.

„He said, that they were able to defeat the robots." Nicols repeated the tape.

„With the help of a dead man." Perez added. „Man, if that isn´t cool." Bryce shot him a glance and his smirk faded. „Sorry." he said.

„I think, I know what that means." Alisha mumbled.

„Me too." Dr. C agreed.

„Well, would you two let us in on it?" Bryce asked.

„I believe, he just told us how to hack into the main computer." Dr. C said.

„How?" Bryce asked impatiently.

„I don´t know what happened down there. But I guess they defeated the robots by infecting them … with human germs."

„Uhrrrg." Perez groaned disgusted.

„So, all we need to do is … infecting the alien ship with a virus?" Nicols summarized.

„On what film does that remind me?" Perez grinned.

„How are we supposte to do that?" Bryce wanted to know.

„I don´t have a cold at the moment." Perez informed them in agreement. „Whats about you, Chief?"

Nicols shook his head and so did Alisha. Susan exchanged a helpless glance with Monger.

„You can let go now, B.O.B." Dr. C told his blue friend and he reformed back into his old self.

„Ehm." McNamara said now and raised his hand like a boy in school would do it. „Maybe I can help here." he said, making everybody turn to him with a puzzled look. He glanced back at them shyly. „I … I am what specialists call a chronic carrier."

Perez made an even more disgusted noise than he had done before and even skipped back a little from him. „I never eat a burger again that you touched." he said.

„I don´t - Excrete it - In that way. Bloody hell!" McNamara told him with his eyes rolling. „It is only in my stool. Remember the trip to Iran we made three months ago?"

Perez nodded with a distorted face, trying to fight the urge to vomit.

„You ate something wrong and got Typhus." Alisha remembered.

„Right. The doctor said the virus was still in my … you know. I have to bring him samples every week to check on it. They still hope that it will fade away."

„They do?" Perez asked doubtfully and caught a furious look from McNamara.

„That means, you have it still in you." Bryce summarized.

„But how do we infect the computer with it?" Perez wanted to know. „Want to piss on it?"

„Thats a very nice idea, really." Alisha groaned.

„As far as I know, its in my blood as well." McNamara explained.

„Hey! Okay." Perez cried. „Of course, we give the Wii a transfusion. Why didn´t I think of it?"

„Shut up." Nicols said. „We´ll try it."

„Ehm … How?" McNamara asked a little scared. „How will I infect the computer?"

Nicols gave him a look. „You´ll bleed on it." he said.

...

„We´ve got it!" the technician shouted and a second later, the street lamps around them went on. The people around cheered and some of them even applauded. Finally they could see something again.

„How much energy are we talking about?" Major Henderson wanted to know.

„Limited." Carter told him and climbed out of the robot. „The main system is toast. It will take some time to repair it. But we can at least run the most important systems. Light, communication and we can feed the hospitals with power."

„Very good." Henderson said. „Can you patch me through to our headquarter?"

„Only if they found a way to bring their own power back on." Carter said and dumped Henderson with that. The Major looked like he wanted to curse.

„But perhaps you can create a satellite uplink so we can see whats going on out there." he suggested with teeth that barely went away from each other.

The technician swallowed dryly. „I think I can get you this." he said. „If you want to follow me."

He climbed back into the robot. Henderson followed behind. Inside there were four round screens, just at the places where the red eyes were on the outside. Carter started to work at the system, pushing some buttons and loosening some wires that hung out onto the floor. One of the screens started to glow. Carter pushed some more buttons and soon the picture of earth came up.

„Great." Henderson whispered more to himself than to Carter. „Give me a look over the west coast first." he demanded.

Carter obeyed and started to zoom in. While the picture seemed to fly down to earth, Henderson spotted something. His hand shot to Carter´s shoulder that fast, that the man flinched, even shrieked a little.

„Hold on." Henderson demanded. „What is that?" he pointed at some moving lights on the screen. They seemed to fly through the sky and head for earths surface.

Carter zoomed closer to them. When the picture got clear they learned with shock that, it were alien robots.

„Where do they head to?" Henderson asked alarmed.

Carter checked his datas and swallowed again. „Here." he said. „Las Vegas."

„They know we hit their robots." Henderson understood. „And now they come to make us pay. But not this time. Can you bring this rust bucket back online? So we can use it as a weapon?"

„I think so." Carter mumbled unsure.

„Do it." Henderson ordered and was already on his way out. He had to prepare his men so they could build up a line together with the monsters. There wasn´t much time.

...

„I believe we were spottet." a man inside of the robots said, looking at the console in front of him.

It was the one robot that McNamara had cracked together with the men that now were inside of it.

They had been on their way down to earth for a while now. All the others had separated from them by now, after they had gained control over the robots. Each one of them was now on its own way, heading for different cities, countries and continents. For some reason the scientists and technicians in this very robot had not been able to figure out how to change the course of their strange vessel. So they were the only ones left that were still heading straight to Las Vegas. Well, at least as good as any other place to land. But it was a frustrating thing not to know why something didn´t work.

One of them – his name was Phillipe, he was from France – had assumed it might be because of the way it had been opened. He claimed he had seen the blue monster penetrating the electronic with its slime. Maybe, another man had agreed but that was not the most important thing now. The most important thing was the fact that the console truly told them, that someone was following their course.

„Is it from the space ship?" Phillipe asked now.

„No, its coming from one of our satellites." the first one said. „I believe these are our own people."

„They will think we attack them." a third man assumed. He had a Russian accent.

„Maybe." the first one agreed. „But they can´t fight back anyway. Don´t worry. As soon as we are down there, we find a way to let them know, who is in here."

The Russian didn´t object any longer, but he wasn´t completely convinced either. What if his American fellow was wrong and they could attack somehow? But he didn´t say it loud. He just hoped that this worries would prove to be unfounded.

...

B.O.B. peeked around the corner. His eye saw the big door that led to the bridge. It was surrounded by aliens, all of them looking mean and ready to shoot everything that moved in the next distance may it be an enemy or a particle of dust. He slipped back to his friends and shook his head. Even he was aware of the fact that he better didn´t say something now. Following his nature he wouldn´t be able to control the volume of his voice anyway. Especially since he was excited.

„How many?" Bryce asked him whispering.

B.O.B. silently showed him uncountable fingers, looked at them himself and added one more for insurance. The men and women sighed frustrated.

„How are we supposte to get in there?" Dr. C exclaimed. „It can´t be done. Impossible."

„All right." Monger said. „We do it this way …"

„Forget it." Bryce interrupted before he could speak. „I have a better idea."

„Would you mind to let me fffinish first?" Monger hissed.

„What for?" Bryce asked. „I already know your plan. Running in full speed, shooting all aliens you can and hope that we live long enough, to do some more afterwards."

„Well? Whats the point? It always worked for me."

„But we are not in Vietnam anymore."

„And this isn´t Desert Storm either." Monger shot back.

„We never talked about who is in charge on this mission." Bryce pointed out.

„Your boy there gave me the leadership." Monger said pointing at Nicols, who looked almost shocked to be mentioned in this argument between these two bigwigs.

„But he is under my command." Bryce stated. Monger started to talk against it but Bryce just didn´t listen and went on arguing simultaneously to Mongers words until it was a heap of broken word pieces, each of them lost in their own meaning.

„Not on …" Monger started.

„That means …" Bryce started the same time and none of them stopped.

„ … this mission. I …"

„ … I am in charge when it comes to …"

„ … initiated this mission and if it wasn´t for me …"

„ … decisions that concerns their safety …"

„ … your ass would be decorating the floor of that hangar …"

„ … Ah fuck I, how long you gonna ride that scooter? I was …"

„ … riding that scooter? You should listen to yourself …"

The argument went on without making any real progress. B.O.B. who sat right between the two counterparts, looked from one to the other and back constantly, wondering why he had even bothered to be silent in the first place. Susan and Alisha exchanged a helpless glance with shaking heads, that both said the same: I have no idea whats going on. The only thing that was clear in that moment, was that this definitely wasn´t the first time, these two guys were arguing that way.

„ I am the senior officer here and if you didn´t forget …"

„Excuse me, but if I remember right then …"

„Stop this right now!" Perez demanded with all the force, he was able to lay into his voice by still talking quietly. „You both keep your mouths shut. We´ll do this my way, you hear me?"

Everybody without exception stared at him in astonishment. The two officers were even more startled than the others. Perez blinked and looked from one to the other, chuckling slightly.

„Well." he shrugged. „Since the leadership isn´t clear yet, I thought I offer myself as well."

The two officers didn´t give a response but continued staring at him. He ducked away and sat down on the platform of his floating device in silence.

Monger and Bryce looked at each other. Eventually Monger threw up his hands. „All right." he said. „Let´s hear your idea. But I decide, if we go forward with it or not."

Bryce stared back at him one more second and then nodded. „I´m okay with that." he stated. Then he started to explained his plan. When he was done Monger had no choice but to admit (very reluctantly anyway) that he was right. His idea was the better one. He nodded grimly and agreed.

„All right." Bryce said and handed Dr. Cockroach two grenades. „Place them directly over their heads." he ordered him. „And try not to get shot before you placed them."

The Doc let out a nervous chuckle. Then he nodded and crawled up the wall until he was under the ceiling. The soldiers took their positions at the corner, weapons ready to fire. They watched the Doc crawling along the – fortune was on their side – not regarded and very high ceiling of the hallway until he was right over the heads of the aliens. He fixated the first grenade in the left corner over the door. Then he crawled to the right corner and fixated the second grenade. He had just let go of it, when it fell off again from the not appropriate fixation. The group of soldiers gasped in shock but then he caught it in the movement, clinging himself to the ceiling, eyes as wide as a windshield. They kept holding their breaths until he fixated the grenade again and started to head back for them. When he was around the corner and out of sight of the aliens they exhaled a common sigh of relief.

„You weren´t able to get it even closer, were you?" Monger hissed when he was with them again.

Dr. C didn´t give a response. He was still too shaky himself.

Eventually Monger nodded at him. „Good work." he said.

„Okay, then." Nicols said. „Zach. Your turn."

„Check." McNamara responded with a short salute and took the remote to blow up the grenades.

„Get ready." Bryce ordered and the men and woman in uniform took their weapons, ready to shoot. Bryce looked at McNamara and gave him the signal. Then he pushed the button. Above the aliens the two grenades went of, raining fire, blast and fragments down at them. Using the caused disorder, the soldiers immediately started shooting. Some of the aliens tried to shoot back, but since they were blinded from the smoke, their laser didn´t hit anything safe the walls. Barely twenty seconds later the whole thing was over.

„Hurry now!" Bryce demanded. „Before they reinforce and build up a new line."

The group ran to the big doors, Ginormica first, who grabbed the doors as soon as she was at them and started to push them open. They crackled and howled under her force. When the system finally lost the battle to hold the doors closed, sparks started to fly. Finally they gave up and went open quiet smoothly.

When they were open, everything was quiet. The big room on the other side, that was the bridge, seemed to be completely deserted. The soldiers grabbed their weapons tighter.

Perez went in first, since it was easier for him to get over the dead aliens and fragments that came down from the ceiling. His floating device hummed slightly in the silence of the huge room, causing a disturbing echo. He stopped and the humming, that had been the only sound in this space, was gone as well. The all surrounding silence was even more tensing then the short fight they had had to get in here. His comrades followed him inside, looking around in great attention. No one of them could spot anything. At least nothing that was alive.

„Where are they?" Perez whispered. His voice sounded strange in his own ears.

„Guess they weren´t expecting company." Nicols said.

As if to prove him wrong, the seemingly defeated doors, came back to life and shut themselves behind them with a loud bang.

* * *

**And out. Well. At least for now ;-) But that was to be expected, wasn´t it? I mean come on. When did I ever finish with a solved situation? Don´t answer. :) See you later then.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	22. Chapter 22 Semper Fi

**Wow, this week was much faster than I expected. Almost forgot that it was Friday again. Slowly I start to get under some time pressure. Damn. But for now I still made it. And even more. I finally finished another project of mine, that I delayed far too long. This has nothing to do with this fic here. I just wanted to get it off my chest. *Celebration!* **

**Okay, that´s enough. Let´s go on now.**

* * *

**Semper Fi**

„Don´t look now." Henderson called over to his men, looking constantly through his ocular. „But our guest is closing in."

The resurrected alien robot, what Carter and his team had managed to make stand up not half an hour ago, turned around and aimed at the sky, where they expected the alien robot to appear soon. They could already see some movement in the distance.

„I hope your friends are ready as well." Henderson said with a glance at Link.

The fish-man sat on the back of Toadagantua and gave him one thumb up. Of course they knew what they had to do. They were professionals, weren´t they?

„All right then." Henderson said. He was about to look through his ocular again and had to hold on for a second. He sneezed into the crook of his arm and then took the ocular to his eyes, sniffing annoyed over his own condition. What a bad day to cure a cold.

„They are coming in now." he reported.

„Get ready, Butter." Link cried and the huge moth soured as silent as a stealth fighter. In the growing dark of the oncoming night, he would circle the city and attack the robot from behind. He and Toady would hide behind the large building of the casino-hotel, ready to shoot with the frogs poison. If these aliens really thought they would have an easy game, they were about to learn different. Oh man, they would. They would kick their slimy asses, right.

He looked over to Major Henderson, waiting for him to give the signal, as everybody around him did. The Major hold his ocular fixed at the red glowing that moved through the sky. As soon as he would give the order, the overturned robot and all the soldiers around would start to shoot. No one of them was ready to give these aliens a chance to fight back. They wouldn´t even know what hit them until it was over. Major Henderson raised his hand.

...

„Uh-Oh." the Russian officer Novorsky in the stolen robots head exclaimed nervously.

„What?" his American fellow asked.

„I could be wrong, but I think thats another robot down there." the man said, turning to his associate. His name was Jones. „It looks grim." he told him.

The Marines officer looked at the screen and cursed. „We have to do something."

„What?" his colleague Mellon asked. „We barely know how to fly that thing. How are we supposte to react on that … greeting."

„There must be some kind of communication system in here." Jones said.

„I don´t think the aliens intended to talk." Novorsky pointed out.

„Then … a steering wheel. Why isn´t there any steering wheel? There should be one. This is a ship isn´t it? At least sort of."

„Let me think." Mellon said and looked over the consoles. „Here, this one. It looks like it was designed … for a handprint."

„I don´t see any hand." Jones said.

„Not human hands." Novorsky understood and stepped closer to the console, ready to touch the controls. Jones took his wrist and hold him back.

„Wait." he cried. „How do you know you won´t blow us up with it? Or … shoot at them?"

„Do we have a chance?" Novorsky asked.

„He is right." Mellon agreed. „We have to try something."

Jones hesitated. He didn´t like it to mess around with strange technology without knowing what would be the result. But he also had to admit that the others were right. If they wouldn´t do anything at all, they would be toast soon. Reluctantly he released Novorsky´s wrist.

...

Henderson was about to drop his hand, in order to signal his men to fire. But right in that moment, the robot ahead started to swirl, as if it just had dropped into an air hole. Henderson paused and looked at it confused. What the hell was going on?

The robot swirled further to the right. Butterflyosaurus tried to get near it to see what was the matter with that thing. It drifted abruptly and hit him into the side, making him tremble as well. Surprised by the unexpected hit, he lost his balance and went into a swirling dive. The soldiers and Link, who had watched the whole scene, gasped. Please, they begged. Don´t let him crash onto the city. As if he had heard their silently spoken prayers, Butterflyosaurus turned around in his fall and stopped just before he hit the high-tower building in the centre. Slightly shaky he steadied his flight and managed it to sour again. The men sighed in relief but they had only a second to do so. The robot was still over their heads, swirling seemingly out of control. It caught itself like Butterflyoaurus had done before and changed its course.

„What shell we do?" the Lieutenant asked Henderson.

„I wish I knew, Lieutenant." the Major admitted. „It could be a trick to fool us."

„Shell we open up fire?" the man asked.

Henderson hesitated. Then he nodded. There was no time to be unsure or to even hesitate.

„Wait!" Link cried and rushed to the Major´s side. „Something´s wrong. Look at this."

„I saw it." Henderson replied. „Its still a moving hostile target. We have to …"

„But what if it isn´t?" Link interrupted him. „Hostile I mean. Didn´t you see what happened?"

„I saw a swirling alien robot." Henderson argued. „Maybe they have problems. So what? We should use them before they solve them."

Link wasn´t sure what to answer. Technically the Major was right. There was no reason for him to believe that there was anything different with this robot. But still, he had this feeling.

„What if there is a reason for the problems?" he argued. „Like … there would somebody driving it who doesn´t know how to do it."

This very idea actually didn´t occur to him until he heard himself saying it loud. The strange thing with his instinct was, that sometimes it was even thinking faster than he could. The Major and his Lieutenant blinked in surprise. Link was as surprised as they were. But to tell them that would mean to disintegrate his own argument. So he didn´t. Instead he pretended to know exactly what he was talking about. With the most serious face, he was able to show he told them: „Think about it. Your guys took this thing out and your technician managed it to bring the system online again. Why shouldn´t others be able to do the same? And even more."

„Like getting inside and starting it?" Henderson suggested, already adjusting to the idea.

„But how can we be sure?" the Lieutenant asked.

Over them Butterflyosaurus crossed, looking down at them with asking eyes. What are you chatting around? This robot is still there. Link felt something coming up in the back of his head, when he saw his big pal. Perhaps even an answer to the Lieutenant´s question. But it wasn´t there yet. Behind him Toadagantua roared. Afterwards Link wasn´t sure anymore, if he had gotten the idea himself or if she had told him or if it just happened to come at the exact same time. But it was right, of course. That was the point, they all had missed until now. Maybe because it was dark and they hadn´t been able to see properly or maybe because they were tensed and all of this had happened (and still was happening) so fast. But in this moment it was just clear.

„It didn´t shoot." Link cried out. „Even if they have problems with the steering, they still could have shot at us. Or at Butter." he pointed upwards to the moth. „But they didn´t. And you can tell that they could have, if they had wanted it. He was right in front of them."

The two military men considered what the fish-man had said. They looked at each other. The decision was still not easy to make. Eventually Henderson took up his radio and called in for his troops to hold the fire until further notice.

„Sir?" an uncertain man answered his order.

„That´s affirmative." Henderson said. „You´ll hold your fire. But remain ready. Don´t shoot without my signal."

„Yes, sir. Understood."

Henderson switched off and turned to Link. „I hope you are right." he said.

Link didn´t give a response. He hoped so himself. Together they watched the alien robot circling the city in an unsteady but wide radius. Slowly it seemed to stabilize itself. The soldiers hold their weapons tighter. Then the robot seemed to stop and lower itself to the ground. Slowly it came down and finally landed at a parking lot, behind a hotel. Quickly the soldiers surrounded it and took positions at the hotel and along the street. Still no one made a move. Not even the robot. Then its head bowed down a little as if to have a look on those strange small creatures all around. Some of the men skipped back.

„Hold. Your fire." Henderson repeated into the radio. „Wait. Until it makes A. Hostile. Move."

The men obeyed. The red eyes of the robot changed, closing their metal irises. Another minute went by without any action. Then there was a howling sound, like a feedback from a microphone. Everybody covered their ears against the sudden noise. In the following silence the robot started to make sounds, that somehow sounded like words. But it was slow and muffled, probably because of a malfunction. It sounded somehow like Semmafy.

„Is it talking?" one of the men asked.

„I think it tries to." another one answered.

„Can anyone understand what it is saying?"

„I guess its alien language."

Henderson hushed them with an annoyed gesture. How was anyone supposte to listen, when they were talking constantly? He listened carefully, his head bowed down like he always was, when he tried to hear something very quiet. Semmafy, the robot repeated. And again. What the hell? Finally it hit him.

„Semper Fi." he exclaimed. „They are saying Semper Fi. There are Marines inside of there."

Inside of the robot, twenty people, including a Russian officer and two Americans, who served in the United States Marine Corps, sighed in relief, that their code had been understood.

...

On the alien space ship, another group of soldiers didn´t sigh relief, but gasped in tension. They were trapped. These bastards truly had gotten them. Now they were trapped on the bridge, with no way out. At least no obvious way out. But for what reason? There was still nothing in sight that could be a threat for them. No Gallaxhessa, no alien clones. Nothing. Not even the computer seemed willing to talk to them. It was strange. More than that. It was bizarre.

„What the hell are they up to?" Perez whispered, aiming around with his gun like the others. They all aimed into another direction, to be sure, nothing would come at them from a hidden corner. But still there was no movement.

McNamara threw a look over to the main controls, that were in the centre of the room.

„Don´t even think about it." Nicols hissed at him. „We don´t know what they prepared for us. It might be bugged with explosives."

„We can´t know that." McNamara hold against that. „Maybe the bloody doors went shut on their own. It could have been a short circuit what caused that."

„Maybe. But we have to make sure. Spread out. Slowly. Secure the perimeter."

The soldiers started to move. Perez set his floating device in motion. Slowly. His eyes were wandering around with great attention. He should have looked up to the ceiling but he didn´t. So he didn´t see the long scaly tail coming down directly behind him and no one else noticed it either until it had lay itself around Perez´ neck and pulled him up.

The big man grunted and instinctively grabbed the strange cold thing that had gotten him and tried to strangle him. Beneath him, Alisha cried out alarm. By then the thing had turned him around and he faced the most ugly beast he had ever seen in all his nightmares. It was the thing that bid him and it was grinning at him with its glistening sharp teeth, spit of hunger dropping from them, while it was opening its mouth.

„Oh, no. Not you again, you moron!" Perez grunted and started to struggle.

„Al!" McNamara shouted and then there was shooting.

The creature turned away from Perez and hissed at them in anger, because they disturbed it in its meal. Perez managed it to get his smaller gun out of his belt and aimed at the creature himself. He hit it right under the head and it shrieked in surprise and pain. Its tail let go of him and Perez fell. He hit the floating device, slipped off it and landed on his wounded leg. He screamed in pain.

Another thing came down from the ceiling, this time above Alisha. It was no tail but a bunch of tentacles, that grabbed her, ensnaring her like a cat in a ball of cotton. Her comrades flinched at the sight and aimed at the alien that hold her.

„I wouldn´t do that if I were you." Gallaxhessa said sweetly. „Lower your weapons or I snatch her pretty little neck faster than you could say …" and then she started to click and snack and do some other strange sounds by talking in her alien language. When she was finished she chuckled and added: „If you can say it."

„That´s the oldest joke in the whole universe, sister." Alisha said annoyed. She reached back, grabbed her captor and threw her over her own shoulder with a classic judo throw.

„Take her!" Monger yelled and Nicols and McNamara rushed to Gallaxhessa to take her in.

Alisha caught a glance from Admiral Bryce who nodded at her in a manner of respect. She smiled.

Gallaxhessa hissed angry when Nicols picked her up. Her crock-dog came at them, growling. B.O.B. rushed forward and blocked its way. When it faced the blue blob it started to whine, remembering what happened last time.

„You coward." Gallaxhessa yelled. „Attack!"

But the crock-dog was frightened and the shrill and angry voice of his mistress didn´t help to encourage him either. It looked into B.O.B.´s smiling face and then decided, it was the better idea to duck away. Gallaxhessa´s eyes narrowed in anger when she looked after her pet. Monger and Bryce went over to her and looked at her like one person. Peering. She understood the unspoken words.

„You will never stop my invasion." she told them. „No matter if you freed your people. My clones will find them."

„They are not at the ship anymore." Bryce told her.

She looked puzzled and angry the same time. Then she realized that he didn´t fool her and was just angry. She tickled at them in her alien language. Bryce and Monger just chuckled.

„If we would get a penny every time somebody says that to us …" Bryce said with a glance at his old comrade. Monger´s smirk widened.

„It still doesn´t matter." Gallaxhessa hissed. „The invasion is unstoppable. My robot probes and clones are already down on the surface of your mud ball."

„Then we should hurry, shouldn´t we." Monger said and threw McNamara a look. The man nodded. Alisha took over for him to help Nicols with his still hurting wound, to hold Gallaxhessa.

McNamara went over to the console. When he was there, he hesitated, looking back at his Admiral rather helpless. Bryce rolled his eyes and took out a switchblade. He grabbed McNamaras hand and cut into the palm so quickly that the man didn´t even have the time to flinch. He gave him a look as if to ask: What? McNamara, who had been about to complain ducked and was quiet. Instead he lay his hand on the computers console and pressed.

„No!" Gallaxhessa yelled and struggled against the grip of Nicols and Alisha. Under McNamara´s hand there was a stream of blood that wandered slowly down the console. Some of it went into the tiny space between the buttons and the panel. Gallaxhessa struggled harder.

„NOOOOOO!" she pushed herself back against the two humans with a sudden force. Alisha lost her balance and Nicols just didn´t have the strength to hold her alone. He groaned in pain when the pain in his arm got worse again and lost grip of Gallaxhessa.

„Hold her!" Monger yelled and was already on his way to do it himself if necessary.

Susan rushed forward as well, thinking grimly: _Damn. I should have hold her in the first place._ She was halfway at the her, when the female alien started to sour to the ceiling again. Her tentacles wiped out like a ventilator and hit her with the force of several fast following heaps, that threw her to the ground. On the other side the same thing happened to Monger, who flew back into Bryce and took him down as well.

Gallaxhessa climbed up to her escape capsule so elegant that she barely seemed to touch the surface of the statue. On her way up she called: „Computer. Activate self-destruct. And seal the bridge." The last sentence was barely out, when she already vanished inside the escape capsule and the door closed behind her. All around a red light started to flash and a deep howling whistle came up.

„Ship has been set to self-destruct." the male computer voice said. „Total annihilation in T-minus ten minutes."

„Don´t let her go!" Bryce yelled pointing at the escape capsule.

Perez flew up to the thing on his floating device ad started to shoot at the capsule. But the program was already started and the shell of the capsule was impenetrable. The engines started and then it rushed out of a hole that just opened into the ceiling. Perez tried to follow but the hole closed itself a second before he got out. He crashed against the metal and swirled back down uncontrolled, hitting the ground awkwardly and slid a couple of meters, before he came to a stop. He groaned.

„Sorry, Boss." he said when the Admiral and his friends reached him. „I messed up."

„Stay calm, Al." Bryce said gently. „We´re not dead yet."

„Right." Susan agreed and went over to the door. „If she thinks she can lock us up …" and instead of finishing the sentence she grabbed the doors and pushed them open again. She needed at least a minute before the doors gave in again but at last she managed it to get them open.

„Still no use." McNamara shouted. „We can´t reach the MonStar within less then ten minutes. Its too far. And I still didn´t hack this goddamn computer. If this ship goes off before I did …"

„We know." Bryce interrupted him impatiently. He looked quiet stressed. Monger turned to Dr. Cockroach. „Doc. Is this thing …" he pointed at the floating device. „ … fast enough to reach the hangar in time?"

„It might." Dr. C answered unsure. „But …"

„Good. You take it. Bring the ship here and …"

„But I can´t go. I have to hack the system. No offence." he turned to McNamara. „But I already hacked a system like that. I shouldn´t go."

„But you are the only one of us who knows how to steer that ship." Monger argued.

„Not the only one." Dr. C hold against it and looked over to Susan. She blinked in surprise and when she realized what he implied, her face showed the highest concentration of fear and concern, that was possible in a human face. The others looked at her, for a moment as stunned as she felt. Then Monger broke the silence.

„All right. You go. Take the ship and get it the hell back here to get us."

„No." she argued. „I can´t. I can´t go and leave you all."

„You don´t leave us _all_." Bryce chipped in. He picked up Perez and dragged him to the floating device. On his way he grabbed Nicols good shoulder and dragged him along too. „You two will cover her with your guns. Make sure she reaches the ship." He shoved them up the platform, leaving them no time to argue the way Susan did.

„Doc." Monger said. „Give her the remote."

Dr. Cockroach took the remote of the saucer out of his pocket and wanted to hand it to Susan. She refused to take it. Monger lost patience, took the remote and forced it into her hand. He wanted to take her arm and drag her to the device as well, but she avoided his grip.

„No!" she demanded desperately. There were tears in her eyes, he noticed.

He grabbed her arm by force. „That was an order, soldier." he hissed at her.

Susan looked into his grim face, fearful and close to tears. She couldn´t. How could he ask her to leave him here? Now. What if she wasn´t fast enough? If she wouldn´t reach the ship in the first place? Then no one of them would get out. _Every each one of us is expendable._ Before she could think of it any longer she rushed at him and kissed him almost as forceful as he had grabbed her arm. There was no time to be polite anymore. And in this moment she gave a shit for privacy. She didn´t want to die before she ever had a chance to taste it. Only once. Why the hell didn´t she do that earlier? She couldn´t remember.

After a short stiffening on his side, he gave in and kissed her back, holding her tight in his arms. Around them the others looked either surprised or embarrassed. B.O.B. was probably the only one who looked just happy about what happened.

Perez groaned quietly at the sight. McNamara, who stood next to the device, tapped his big comrade on the back and said: „Come on, pal. Its probably just the uniform."

Finally Susan broke the kiss, out of breath like Monger. She looked into his eyes with a certain determination.

„I want more of this." she said. „You here me?" She let go of him and went over to the floating device, still looking back at him. „I´ll be back." she told him as if to make sure he wouldn´t forget it. „And so will you."

Then she jumped onto the device and started it. The three of them vanished through the door and into the hallway without another word. After a brief silence, Bryce turned to McNamara and Dr. C.

„Well, take care of that machine." he ordered. The two of them obeyed and hurried back to the console.

Bryce went over to Monger´s side, following his gaze that was still locked on the door. He threw him a smirking glance. „Not bad for a ninety year old." he said.

Monger returned the smirk before it faded again. „I´ll never see her again." he said and his words sounded somehow like a question.

Bryce´s smile was gone too. He sighed heavily and nodded. „Probably not." he agreed.

The others that were still with them paused for a moment in their actions and looked up at them. They all knew very well what that meant. They had known it all along.

* * *

**The End. **

**No more chapters. They all are gonna die. You don´t buy it? But I mean it. … Okay, maybe I don´t. I admit an ending like that would probably suck. *sigh* All right then. For you. There will be another chapter.**

**But seriously. Suewe, you wrote last time you wait for the ending. Does that mean its enough? That I slowly should come to an end and finish? You need to tell me. I can make it quick or I could stretch it a little more. Depends on you guys. So tell me how much more you can stand.**

**And as always, thanks for staying with me that long.**


	23. Chapter 23 Get Away

**Hey there. First of all. Claws, my dear Mexican-girl: Yes I´ve heard about such looks but you can stop now. I _was_ joking. I guess there can be a little more still.**

**Suewe: You truly exaggerate. I´m sure you´d find something else to fill your days with, if I would stop writing (or at least I hope so). But I appreciate your courtesy. Don´t worry, I still have something in the closet. **

**Speaking of that. Here it comes. **

* * *

**Get away**

The floating device was rushing through the hallways. All around there was that awfully dry computer voice that told them how less time they had left over and over again. If Susan would have had the time to think about it, she would have imagined what a pleasure it would be to smash that damn thing. But she hadn´t the time. There were only six minutes left and they were still not at the hangar.

Ahead of them there were shouts and a second later they saw the aliens coming at them. Nicols and Perez started to shoot immediately to sweep out the way before them. They managed it to reap out the first line of the oncoming aliens but that was all fortune gave them. One laser shot was enough to dismantle the floating device right under their feet and make them fly to the ground. Nicols rolled himself of and screamed in pain when he rolled over his shoulder. Perez rolled of as well but he cried out when his leg hit the ground. Susan hit the wall and fell to the ground without rolling. Damn that hurt.

The aliens still approached. Perez jumped up as good as he was able to and threw a grenade at them. The line of their attackers was smashed and made it possible for them to pass them. Perez had to carry Nicols but they made it. Until they reached the next crossway. The shooting started immediately and the two Marines had to take cover and shoot back.

„Total annihilation in four minutes and thirty seconds." the computer voice told them. It sounded almost mocking.

Perez threw another grenade but this time he caused only a few seconds of distraction. They used it nevertheless and ran as fast as they could before the fire could start again. The next corner was only ten meters away and Susan recognized it gratefully as the gate that led into the hangar with the saucers. She told them without getting slower so they would now as well. The two Marines understood. Behind them the aliens were back in the game and started shooting again. They ran even faster and they almost made it. Almost.

A laser beam got Nicols when he spun around to throw another grenade. He flew backwards and lost his grenade. It went of just five meters away from him. The aliens were distracted but so was he. Susan and Perez spun around and faced what happened.

„Chief!" Perez cried.

Nicols had managed it to sit with his back to the corner of the gate and aim his weapon at the aliens, that were already coming again. He started to shoot.

„GO!" he yelled. „Activate the saucer. I´m right behind you."

Perez wanted to go back to him but Susan didn´t allow it. She looked at Nicols one more time and saw his demanding gaze that wanted her to bring Perez and the others out before it was too late. Then he went on shooting.

„Total annihilation in three minutes and twenty seconds." the computer told them.

Susan dragged Perez along with her and gave him no chance to struggle any longer. They had to start the saucer. They had just entered it, when they heard an explosion from back where they had left Nicols behind. All they could see, when they looked back, was a big cloud of dust and a heap of dismantled metal that once had been a gate.

„Chief! No! CHIEF!" Perez wanted to run back but Susan closed the door of the saucer before he could get out.

„Let me out." he demanded and hit his fist against the metal. „We can´t leave him there! We must help him!"

„We can´t help him anymore." Susan shouted back from her place at the controls. She had already started the engines and they could feel how the saucer lifted up from the ground. „I´m sorry." she said and shook her head. A tear was rolling down her cheek and for the first time since she meet him, Perez, the big tough guy, was not grinning anymore. His face was distorted with desperation and pain. There were tears in his eyes as well.

„I´m sorry." Susan repeated, this time only whispering it. Then she turned around and flew the saucer out of the gate. There were six other friends that were waiting for them … and the time was running out.

...

Novorsky´s foot touched the ground. He was the last one to leave the stolen alien robot. It was a good feeling to be back on earth, even if they found it in a condition that made them all think of old science fiction movies in which earth was destroyed by some hostile forces. Was that really the all famous city of Las Vegas, he had heard so much about? That it was so dark made the scenery even more powerful and shocking.

But at least it were humans who greeted them and not aliens. Human fighters with weapons to defend this place in univers that was their home. So many wars they had fought, Novorsky mused in that faithful moment in time. So many battles against each other for the exact same reason. To defend their homes. Or at least that was it what everybody had thought at that time. But now they were forced to do it again and this time they defended it against someone that was truly alien to this world.

Novorsky was a technician. Not a soldier. But in that moment he felt proud for what they had done here. Even if he wasn´t in his own country. Mankind had made a stand and they had survived. They were still alive and they would remain. Something he had started to doubt sometimes, while working on weapons technology, that was designed for no other reason than to kill other humans. Maybe they had just needed something like that to understand what the mistake had been all these years. That not other humans were the enemy. That the enemy came from somewhere else. He had never thought that this somewhere would be space.

A big applause raised when he joined the others that had come down with him. Not only soldiers, also regular people, who lived in this city – and as strange as it was, three monsters were with them as well, two of them so big, he couldn´t see their faces in the dark up there – had come to see them. The twenty men and women who had seen the devil in his own environment and returned to tell about it. For them _they_ were the heroes. Novorsky couldn´t say that he was completely uncomfortable with that situation.

In the rows of the audience, one soldier who applauded together with all the others no matter how far away from the robot he was, stood right at the end of the crowd like a security officer on a rock concert. He chuckled over that thought. Yeah, it definitely had something about that. It certainly felt like that. Eventually the applause went thinner and thinner, though some more enthusiastic people were still clapping. But the noise had decreased and that was the only thing that saved their lives. Because in that moment, when he dropped his own hands for his palms had started to hurt from all the clapping, the young soldier heard a sound that didn´t quiet fit the applause all around him. It was similar to clapping hands but not the same. And it didn´t come from ahead of him but from behind. Though it was quiet possible that just some more citizens had decided to come and join in the celebration, but something told him that it wasn´t this way. The sound was closing in much too fast for that. It sounded like bursting bubbles.

A motion at the corner caught his eye and when he turned around to have a look at what had appeared there out of the dark of the night, his heart jumped in his chest.

„INCOMING!" he yelled, pulled his gun and immediately started to shoot at the aliens, that had come to finish what their robots hadn´t been able to accomplish. The welcome home celebration was over within the wink of an eye and changed into a new battle.

...

„Total annihilation in less than three minutes." the computer voice said.

Bryce looked up for a moment to the ceiling, where he assumed the voice was coming from. Then he dismissed it and went on walking up and down behind McNamara and Dr. Cockroach who were still trying to hack into the system, to reprogram those damn robots, what were still destroying earths cities. Alien controlled robots were bad enough. Robots on the loose would be much worse. Bryce had no idea what was taking them so long. He thought they had already penetrated the damn thing. But obviously infecting it with Zach´s germs was only a piece of what they had to do. The two of them were working like mad, standing there and typing like two novelists with a writing flash on their keyboards. He exchanged a glance with Monger and got nothing but the same tensed look he assumed to have on his own face.

„Total annihilation in two minutes and thirty seconds." the computer said.

„Bloody hell." McNamara cursed. „I can´t hear it anymore. I thought that damn thing had a personality. Why do you want to blow yourself up so badly, hm?" he addressed the computer and got a push from Dr. C.

„Concentrate." the Doc demanded still typing. „We have not much time left."

„You don´t need to remind me." Zach fired back. He was sweating like two waterfalls. When the sweat began to flow into his eyes, Alisha appeared next to him and wiped it off his forehead like a nurse on a surgeon during a highly risky operation.

„Thanks." he exhaled and went on typing.

„How much longer?" Bryce asked on the edge.

„Two minutes and five seconds." the computer told him.

„Not you!" Bryce cried up angry.

„I don´t know, Boss." McNamara answered. „We´re getting closer, but this is one hell of a firewall. I´m not sure if we´re gonna make it."

„Stop saying that." Alisha demanded.

„We´ll make it." Dr. Cockroach assured, much more confident than his associate. None of them had even looked up from their work during this little chat.

„Total annihilation in one minute and thirty seconds."

„Dammit, I have enough of this!" Bryce yelled.

„I´m sorry." the computer answered. „Just doing my job."

Bryce threw his gun to the ground yelling in anger and frustration. Then he saw Mongers face and his anger was rushed away and replaced by worry and tension. None of them really believed in getting away anymore. Not with that less time. But he was a Marine. Giving up was not really an option for someone like him. And usually he would have expected the same mindset from Monger. But his old friend seemed strangely calm. As if he truly had accepted that they would die up here. Not that Monger wasn´t tensed as well. Bryce could tell from the look in his face. But that he didn´t say a single word and not even walked up and down, the way he had done, was not like him. He was just standing there. Waiting. Like a rock that waited for the wave to rush over him. Only that this rock would not stand on his place any longer when the water was gone. Neither of them would.

Thinking this made Bryce weak as well. He stopped walking and suddenly felt the finality of their situation coming over him. It was still true, he was a fighter but what should he fight now? There was no enemy any longer. Not one that he could reach. They were like rats in a trap, not able to get out. What an ending for someone who survived two wars, two shots into shoulder and leg and even one explosion on a battleship.

He looked from Monger to Alisha, who stood next to Zach and the Cockroach. She noticed his gaze and there was the same worry in her eyes like in Mongers. Even the blue boy seemed to understand that the situation was hopeless. Bryce looked down at his gun, he had just thrown there. Suddenly he wondered why he had done that and bowed down to pick it up. It felt strange. For what should he keep it? There was nothing to shoot, safe themselves, to avoid the pain of burning to death. But since he knew from own experience, he could tell that nothing like this was waiting for them. The blast would already be enough to knock them all out. They would be unconscious or even dead before the fire would consume them. Quick and clean. At least one good thing by getting blown up.

„Total annihilation in sixty seconds." the computer said.

Bryce sighed. Their last minute on earth. And they weren´t even on earth. They were about five hundred meters above it. Plus minus. What a joke.

That was the moment when he heard a sound, that was not part of the systems around him. First he thought, McNamara and the Cockroach had caused it, by finally cracking the system, but the two of them were still typing like mad and hadn´t even noticed the sound. It wasn´t even from inside. No. It came from outside. He was sure about that. In the corner of his eye he noticed something, that passed the windows and then he saw Monger looking up. When he followed his gaze, he almost couldn´t believe his eyes.

„DOWN!" Monger yelled and then a shot from the saucer smashed the windows. B.O.B. stretched himself out, creating a wall to shield McNamara, Alisha and Dr. C, who were closest to the window, from the flying fragments.

Outside the saucer hovered a few centimeters over the mantle of the ship, its door close to the window so they would be able to get in. The door went open and Perez peeked out.

„What are you waiting for?" he yelled. „Come on!"

Monger and Bryce exchanged a glance. Then they got back to their feet and rushed over to the console. Zach and Dr. C were still working.

„Get ready, Doc!" Monger rushed him.

„One more minute." the Doc said.

„We don´t have a minute." Monger yelled back.

„If we don´t finish that, everything we did today was for nothing." the Doc told him.

„Total annihilation in forty seconds." the computer said.

„Go!" Dr. C demanded without looking up. „I have to finish that."

„You´ll never manage that on your own, bug-head." McNamara answered, also without looking up.

„Thirty-five seconds."

„We must leave." Bryce urged and already shoved Alisha to the saucer. They entered the saucer and waited at the door together with Perez.

„Where is Ben?" Alisha asked after she looked around.

„He didn´t make it." Perez answered quietly.

„Twenty seconds." the computer voice brought them back to reality.

„We wait for you as long as we can. Hurry." Monger told the Doc and McNamara before he followed the others. „B.O.B. into the saucer! Thats an order!"

„What about Zach?" Perez demanded to know when they reached the door. „Why isn´t he coming?"

„They´re not ready yet." Bryce told him.

Perez looked at his Boss desperately and then back to his pal and Dr. Cockroach. They could hear the computer voice that told them that the ship would go off in ten seconds. Bryce was still looking back, tensed as hell and hoping that the two damn geeks would finally move their asses. But they didn´t, though he could tell from the look in their faces that they were close to their target. So close. Any moment they would have it.

„Six … Five … Four …"

„We have to go!" Monger urged.

„No!" Bryce objected.

„Three … Two …"

Still no change on the console.

„Susan, start!" Monger ordered and closed the door. He had no choice. If they didn´t want to die too, they had to go. The saucer rushed away when the computer counted down from one to zero.

„I´ve got it!" McNamara finally shouted and together with Dr. C he stepped back from the console exhaling in relief. The beeping of the system finally told them that they had cracked the robot probes´ system. The two technicians looked at each other and they thought the exact same thing. Now at least earth would have a chance.

...

In the saucer five humans and one monster watched the big alien ship going off in a huge explosion. A fireball between big grey clouds in a black sky, in which the stars were now no longer visible. They couldn´t hear the sound but that wasn´t necessary to make them feel it. The silence inside the saucer made it even worse to watch. For almost a minute no one said a word. The only motion that proved time wasn´t frozen in that stunning moment, were the raised hands of the two officers when Monger and Bryce saluted for their fallen comrades.

Susan began to sob and she wasn´t the only one. Behind her Perez cried out loud and hit the wall with his fist. Alisha took his wrist and after a painfully silent look at each other she hugged him, searching comfort whyle mourning their friends death in each others arms.

Susan turned around and faced Monger. He opened his mouth as if to say something but there was no voice coming out. Next to him B.O.B. started to cry loudly and in that moment she couldn´t stand it any longer and jumped up and hugged Mongers neck and just cried. He hold her tight and she was glad, so glad that at least he was alive. That she didn´t loose him as well. But Doc. Doc! Why did he have to stay? Why didn´t he come? Why couldn´t he have to be just a little faster? Only a few seconds. More they wouldn´t have needed. A few goddamn seconds. That was not fair. Was it really true? It couldn´t be.

„I´m so sorry, Susan." Monger whispered.

That finally made her face it. Yes, it was true. It really happened and there was nothing they could do about it. They would never make it undone. Earth was safe but for such a high price.

It was the beeping of the console that brought them all back, out of their grief. It was Bryce who pushed the flashing button to see what the signal was supposte to mean. The windshield changed into a screen that showed a map of earth´s surface. On certain places, there were marked spots of green lights, especially at the major cities.

„What is that?" Monger asked confused.

„You ask me?" Bryce asked back. „I just pushed that button here."

„I believe I know what this is." Alisha said in a still shivering voice. Everybody looked at her but she was only fixating the screen.

„Well?" Bryce said and gave her an asking look. „What is it?"

„These are the aliens." she said. „They are in the cities." After a brief silence she added: „Its not over."

* * *

**Sorry, guys. I know its not nice to loose a character. But sometimes I can´t save them, no matter how hard I try. People die in war, that´s a fact. I guess you´ll agree with me when I say peace is the better alternative.**

**I hope you´ll stay with me anyway. I´ll be here next week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	24. Chapter 24 Back On The Ground

**Hi. Claws, even if you don´t read this until next week … what is actually this week for you cause you didn´t read it last week, what is this week for me now … *confusion* All I wanted to say is, I´d like to dedicate this little piece to you: _„Mexican Girl, don´t leave me alone …"_ well you probably know the rest of the song.**

**Suewe: I totally understand your point. I hate changes too and it would be a pity to loose this. In other fanfics there is hardly such a neat communication. Thats pity. It makes the real fun in it, doesn´t it? But I don´t know how long I can keep this up. So lets just enjoy it as long as it lasts, like we should with everything in life.**

**Here we go.**

* * *

**Back on the ground**

After the huge explosion, the sky was still friendly – or better to say, friendly again. After the noise and the raining of burning fragments had stopped the only things that were left up there, were the clouds and some brave night birds who already dared to explore that part of the sky again. Who knew what had happened? Who could tell where the fragments had gone down? If they had hit anything. Fortunately not one of them had hit the parachute. So the two refugees where still on a relatively save way down to earth. Save if one could ignore the fact that they were more falling than gliding. The weight of two bodies was obviously a little too much for just one parachute.

He had learned that trick from Monger. A couple of weeks ago, he had experimented on getting one into his lab coat. After his first tries, things had turned upside down at Area 52. The mutations had started to pop up like mushrooms and eventually Susan´s change had vanished all other thoughts not just from his brain. So the project had been forgotten. But when the call had come down the line and it was clear that they had to move out again, to save the earth from an invasion, he had decided that his slightly unfinished invention could be useful. Still he had hoped that he wouldn´t have to really test it. But so it turned out to happen, after all. He and McNamara had jumped out just a heartbeat before the explosion and now they were falling. Just a little slower than a rock. The only thing they could hope for, was that they would land on something soft. Dr. Cockroach hadn´t even thought about the fact, that they had no idea, over which part of earth the alien ship had been parked. It could be anywhere in the world.

Finally the clouds were gone and they could see the ground beneath them, closing in much too fast. Well, at least they weren´t over the sea, Dr. Cockroach mused. But was that good news or bad news? He wasn´t sure.

The surface came closer now. He already could make out that they were falling down at a big city. He just didn´t know which one. There was no time to look out for landmarks or special buildings, that would tell him, where they were. It would have been much too dark anyway. But he could see that there was a river, that ran through the city. Water, he thought hopefully. A hard element to land on, when falling from such a heigh but obviously much better than earth or even concrete.

„Help me." he cried over the noise of the wind. „We must steer our fall at least ten degrees to the north."

„What?" McNamara shouted into his ear. „Where is north?"

„Just do the same thing I do." Dr. C replied and started to pull the strings on his right.

McNamara helped him as good as he could, but he didn´t see any result of their pulling. Dr. C on the other hand noticed at least a certain change in their falling. They had spun themselves around and now the river was flowing lengthwise to them not crosswise anymore. Now they only had to hit it right. He pulled a little stronger. It still wasn´t enough. The way they came down, they would probably hit the ground somewhat around ten feet next to the river. Dr. C and McNamara closed their eyes and expected the unavoidable. Then a sudden squall came up, hit them and threw them aside. They splashed into the water and almost drowned because of the surprise that they were still alive.

After they came back up and gasped for air, the parachute that was still on Dr. C´s shoulders, dragged him along with the stream of the river. But the way it threatened his life with that, it saved it a couple of minutes later. When they passed a bridge the cloth got caught in some of the bushed that grew at its feet and the Doc´s slide came to a sudden stop. He had enough control left to reach out and grab McNamara´s hand, before the man was beard away for good probably to flow all the way down until the river opened into the ocean.

...

In the sky the stars were glistening again. The clouds had vanished a few minutes ago and since there was no light coming from earths surface to disturb the view it seemed like the little spots on that black blanket were the only lights in the whole universe. The MonStar was flying in a steady speed. For its occupants it didn´t seem fast, cause there was no surrounding that changed for them to actually feel the speed. But the console told them that they were flying with exactly 700 miles per hour. Hardly the speed for a funeral procession.

But there was no time for grief anyway. The aliens were in the cities and they had to go there before worse things could happen. Since they didn´t detect any electrics they had to assume, that the power was still out and that humans had no resources to fight the invaders. At least not much. They had to hurry and help. After a short consideration it was decided to head back to Washington. It was as good a place to start as any other in the world. Plus Bryce and his men had the home-turf avantage. An asset they should use.

They were almost there, when the console told them that something was closing in. Another flying object, like them. It came from behind and seemed to be of a round shape.

„Thats Gallaxhessa!" Bryce cried and in the exact same moment a blast hit them and shook the saucer beneath their feet.

„She´s firing at us!" Susan cried and steered the saucer hard right. Just in time to avoid another hit. Behind her everybody fell and hit the ground.

„Is she still at us?" Monger asked and struggled to get back to his feet.

„Yes." Susan answered, still busy with evasive maneuvers.

Now they all could feel the speed. Another hit shook the MonStar, but this time it was a small one. Susan had managed to avoid the biggest part of it. The next time Gallaxhessa shot at them, she wasn´t that lucky anymore. The shot hit them right in the middle of their engine. Susan had no idea where the engine was but she knew it was hit from the deliriously loud beeping of the controls before her. Lights were flashing and everything in this damn cockpit seemed to yell at her: Game Over, Girl!

„We´re going down!" she shouted and clung to the steering panel.

Perez, who looked out of the window, turned to her and yelled: „She comes again!"

„Not this time." Monger said and rushed to the controls, pushing one button between a couple of dozens as if he knew exactly where everything was. A sound ran through the saucer and when they looked back into the direction of Gallaxhessa´s capsule, they saw a light ball heading straight at her. It hit the capsule completely unprepared and threw it out of its course. It swirled and then went into a dive. Ten seconds later it was out of sight.

They all exhaled but there was no reason to be released. The MonStar was still damaged and it was badly damaged. The engines were still screaming and the console told them that they lost high very fast.

„Can you bring us down?" Monger asked clinging to Susan´s seat.

„I … I´ll try." she said and her fingers almost squashed the panel in front of her.

The saucer descended in a very rough way. It felt like they would run a car over a very uneven field. The constant beeping of the console warned them, that they approached the ground much too fast. Everybody clung to something in a manner to prepare for the crash. And then it happened. The bottom of the saucer scratched something, they could all feel it in their feet. But it wasn´t the ground they had hit. A look out of the window told them what it was. They were over a forest and the saucer had just reached the crowns of the trees. Slowly it went deeper and finally it got caught between some trunks that were a little stronger than the ones they had mowed down so far. The ground under their feet was gone from one second to the other and the all fell to the windshield, when the saucer turned over. Then the saucer overturned again and was back in normal position. For a moment it hang between the trees. Then the branches gave in and the MonStar fell down until it hit the ground. Everybody in the saucer lay on the floor and it took at least five minutes for all of them to recover from that crash and to face the fact that they truly had survived it. Even B.O.B. looked shaken. His eyeball was still rolling around in his head.

„Everybody still breathing?" Bryce asked when he found that he could speak.

„Where are we?" Perez groaned.

„Somewhere between here and nowhere." Alisha answered with a look out of the window.

„That´s not true." Susan objected shaken. „Before we went down we were close to Washington. I could catch a glimpse at the controls. Its not far."

„What is not far?" Bryce wanted to know.

„I don´t know." Susan admitted. „A few miles."

They all reacted with some prearranged exhaustion to that information. Finally Monger stated: „We don´t have much of a choice. So lets go and not loose more time. The saucer is toast. We have to walk."

„Right." Bryce agreed.

„Susan, open the door." Monger said and she pushed the button.

Outside it was dark but not as dark as they had expected. The moon was shining brightly and the lights from inside the saucer were enlightening the surroundings so they could see that they were on a small field right in the middle of the woods. It was just big enough to keep the saucer and let some space around it, before the trees took over again. So to say they had found the only available parking space around.

„Not that bad after all." Perez stated. „You completely crashed it but at least you crashed it hitting the mark."

Susan managed a tiny smile. Perez was joking but he didn´t sound as joyful as he had sounded before they went to their mission. Before he had lost two of his comrades and best friends. His smile was as uncertain as hers. The pain was still in his eyes. A pain she now knew too good herself. She still couldn´t believe that the Doc was gone.

„Let´s go." Bryce said. „There is no time to loose."

In that moment, something very long and pointy appeared from out of nowhere and went right through B.O.B.´s back like a spit through a barbecue-tomato. B.O.B.´s eye went wide and then the scaly tail lifted him up from the ground. Though it definitely didn´t hurt him, his arms waved around in fear and confusion over that sudden attack. The soldiers spun around and took their weapons, while the crock-dog climbed down from out of the landing gear, his hind legs first and finally coming out in his full size. His eyes glowed in anger and it snarled with his razor sharp teeth at the humans that had destroyed its mistress´s ship.

„Fire!" Monger yelled and together they started shooting at the creature. The bullets went right through B.O.B. who actually started to laugh when he saw the crock-dog´s desperate expression. It hit out with its tail and threw him aside. Then it ran.

„Don´t let it go!" Monger yelled and hurried after it. When he reached the trees, the crock-dog was already out of sight. He kept following it anyway. Behind him, the others tried to catch up with him. He heard his friend Gary calling for him to wait, you goddamn idiot. But there was no time to wait. If this thing would get away now, who knew what damage it would cause, where it would crawl to and even more important, where it would pop up again. This time it had only gotten B.O.B. but next time it could be someone who was not that elastic and indestructible.

Ahead of him he could hear the thing hiss and crash through the wood. While running he shot his gun, hoping that he would hit it and slow it down. But of course it didn´t help. They had already seen how less their bullets did against the skin of that beast.

Suddenly the trees where gone and he ran out to an open field. There was a lake shimmering in the dark. The last thing he saw was the crock-dog´s tail that submerged into that water. It caused a small wave. Then it was gone.

„DAMMIT!" Monger yelled in frustration throwing his gun to the ground.

Behind him, his comrades finally caught up with him.

...

Dr. Cockroach reached the guardrail of the bridge. He reached down and gave McNamara a hand so he could follow. The moment when they were about to climb over the rail they heard a sound and ducked away again. A group of alien clones passed by, all looking grim and ready to shoot everything that was moving with their laser canons. Fortunately they didn´t think of checking beneath the bridge and so they just passed without noticing Dr. C and his comrade. The two of them crawled up as soon as they were sure, they wouldn´t be detected and hurried over to the buildings to hide in an alley. They had just entered it, when another group of aliens passed by.

„They are everywhere." Dr. C whispered desperately. „They´ll find us earlier or later."

„We need to find some weapons." McNamara said as if he hadn´t heard him. He was about to leave the alley when the Doc hold him back.

„Are you crazy? We can´t go out there. They´ll find us."

„We can´t stay here." McNamara argued. „We need to fight back. And therefor we need weapons."

„But I´m not a soldier."

McNamara grabbed Dr. C´s collar and pulled him in. „Now listen to me." he hissed. „These things are in the streets and they don´t give a shit if you are a soldier, a caretaker or a bloody gardener. We are at war. So pull yourself together and take the bloody gun, you here me?"

Dr. C couldn´t do anything but nod. He was too stunned by the sudden force that came from that skinny man, McNamara. The way he had grabbed him, proved him to be much stronger than Dr. C had given him credit for. Obviously he had misjudged him. He might be a technician but he was also a Marine. And he did good by just following his orders around here. This was his field of work after all. First rule of engagement: Adapt. McNamara was right. These aliens wouldn´t wait for him to figure out if he wanted to use a gun or not.

„All right." he finally said and McNamara gave him a determined nod. Then he led the way out to the street and the Doc followed him.

It was dark. Not a single street lamp was on and so the only light came from the full moon up in the sky. Supporting this darkness was the silence all around. It was like running through a ghost city. Where were all the people? Did the aliens already got them? And if they did. What did they do to them? Dr. Cockroach didn´t even want to think about the possibilities.

McNamara spotted something and dragged him over there. It was a store of some sort, Dr. C noticed (the glass was shattered) but he couldn´t figure what his associate could possibly want there until he saw, what it offered for its customers. _Joe´s store – finest guns and ammunition_ read the askew sign over the door. While McNamara went in and took some weapons, Dr. C noticed something else. It was the sign on the wall right next to the door, that read the address of this place. The street wasn´t important but the city. Dr. Cockroaches eyes went wide when he realized how much humor faith could have. The alien spacecraft had had to be parked right over this very city in Massachusetts without them even knowing. Could there be a bigger joke in the universe, he wondered.

„What are you waiting for?" McNamara asked from inside and hold up a gun for Dr. C to take it from him. The Doc entered the store to get it and if it was only to not to be rude. It was a bigger one than he had hoped for. Actually he would have hoped for something smaller and less offensive. A blow pipe for example. But McNamara seemed to have other things in mind. He had picked the biggest guns he could find in this store. Two hunting flints.

„We are in Cambridge." Dr. C informed the Marine.

„I know." McNamara replied while loading his gun.

„You do?" Dr. C asked startled.

„I studied here. At the M.I.T. to be precise." McNamara told him without looking up. He finished the loading of his gun and cocked it. He seemed to like the sound the gun made. The expression in his face startled Dr. C so much that he almost forgot what he had been about to say.

McNamara took some ammunition belts and then went back to the door, checking the surroundings. When he found it save he gave Dr. C a nod and they left.

„Just follow me." he said. „I know these streets."

„But …" Dr. Cockroach started, feeling more uncomfortable with this strange thing in his hands than ever. „Its pitch black dark. How do you want to find the way?"

„Don´t worry." McNamara chuckled. „I strolled through these streets at night before." He threw Dr. C a look. „What did you think I did while I studied here?" he asked.

Dr. C shrugged. „Well … I assumed studying." he said. „Isn´t that what students …?"

„Oh, my dear friend." McNamara shook his head, still walking on with his gun pointing ahead. „Where have you been the last thirty years? Don´t you remember the brave year of ´75?"

„In 1975 I was imprisoned in a high security top secret facility thirty miles beneath the desert of Nevada." Dr. Cockroach replied.

McNamara´s smile faded. „Oh." was the only thing he knew to say. „Sorry, I … I forgot."

They walked on but after a few more steps McNamara went on talking. „I turned eighteen the year I started my study here." he told Dr. C. His eyes were still searching the streets ahead of them, peeking through the dark as if he could shoot aliens just by looking at them. „Me and my pals made a habit out of it to conquer these streets every Saturday night. No need to tell you that after a couple of cocktails the night was as dark as it is now, even though the street lamps were on." He grinned at this. „Yes, I guess I could walk through this city with my eyes closed. At one night we even did this. Looong story. It ended with three of us lying in the riverbank and two at the junk yard right behind Darnell´s Garage. When I woke up I lay on the hood of a half dismantled Plymouth Fury. Sometimes I wonder if Christine was really just a film."

Dr. Cockroach blinked in surprise when he heard that. He was wondering about some things as well. Especially if the memory of his friend was really as accurate as his fantasy. The way McNamara told about that, with such a serious expression, was starteling. Right now he was shivering about the memory that had come back to him, which was obviously quiet vivid for him, no matter if it was real or alcohol induced.

Before Dr. Cockroach could think of anything to say, McNamara stopped and listened. He raised his hand and then hurried aside to hide in a cellar stair. Dr. C followed and only a few seconds later another group of aliens passed by.

„I thought you wanted to fight them." the Doc whispered confused.

„I said I wanted to fight, not commit suicide." McNamara hissed back. „They are much more than we are. You think I´m crazy?"

Dr. Cockroach blinked. Slowly he didn´t know what to think at all. This man was confusing. Maybe he swallowed too much river water, he mused.

When the aliens were gone, McNamara checked the street and then left the stairs. „Come on." he said holding his gun tighter. „We must hurry."

Again, Dr. C didn´t have any other choice but to follow. He could only hope that the Marine knew what he was doing.

* * *

**Okay, first, sorry for fooling you around last time. Doc and Zach are alive but lets not forget over that, that there _was_ a victim on that ship. Chief Petty Officer Benjamin Nicols who died a hero up there. So at least one jet will leave the formation at the end when they pass over our heads. I salute to him and to you guys. **

**Until we meet again. Thanks for reading.**

(and just in case Stevie K. should ever happen to stroll into this: sorry for borrowing Darnell´s for this little joke. It happened with all due respect for your original story. I know you know that)


	25. Chapter 25 Old Friends

**Hello dear friends. My first business here today is to welcome our newcomers. I.J. and Joy. Glad you joined us. *brief applause* Make yourself comfortable and enjoy the rest.**

**Claws: Your welcome. I had this song in my head ever since I read where you are from. Glad you liked it.**

**Suewe: To be that long on a project like that is the first time for me as well. And it surely wouldn´t be anymore if it wouldn´t be for you guys. So thanks right back at all of you.**

**And now back to why we are here.**

* * *

**Old friends**

It was a group of about fifteen people, all in an age between seventeen and twenty-five or so. The aliens had captured them, when they had tried to hide in the party cellar of one of them. This cellar was decorated with camo nets like the army used them and the aliens had almost overlooked them behind these things. Almost. It was just bad luck that they had found them after all. One of them had stepped on an empty beer tin that was left from the last party and that thing had just made too much noise to be overheard. Now they were surrounded by alien clones, to be brought somewhere like a bunch of captured animals.

They passed a bus station, not noticing the two figures who were hiding there in the darkness, watching their way closely. And even if they would have seen them, it probably wouldn´t have inspired much more confidence, because one of these figures was barely a comforting appearance. At least not for someone that was already frightened enough by one strange sort of creatures that weren´t human.

„Well, at least we know, that there are some humans left in this city." Zach whispered. „Now we should …"

„Wait." Dr. Cockroach gasped and took Zach´s shoulder. He pointed at the group of young people. „I know one of them." he said.

„Which one?" Zach asked.

„This guy there, that walks with the girl in his arm. His name is Benny. I´m sure its him." He looked at the boy and the slightly younger girl for a moment. She had dark hair, was fifteen or sixteen tops and looked very very vulnerable. „That must be his sister." he guessed, remembering that Ariane had asked Benny for her the day they´d met. He couldn´t remember the name though.

„How do you know him?" Zach now asked him. „I thought you never left Nevada."

„I did. Not long before the alien attack. Alisha´s sister introduced me to him. Its a long story. He studies at the M.I.T."

„What department?"

„Why is that important?"

„Just … answer the question." Zach demanded.

„Health science and technologie." Dr. C answered.

„Perfect. Then these are people of our kind."

„What?" Dr. Cockroach shook his head in confusion.

„We have to free them." Zach just stated.

„What are you talking about?" Dr. C wanted to know. „How shell we do that? We are clearly outnumbered."

Zach didn´t answer but looked down the street, the way this procession would take. There was a tunnel coming up and if they didn´t turn just before they reached it, he was pretty sure, that they would have to pass right through it.

„Perfect." he whispered and stood up. „Come with me." he urged and hurried away.

„What?" Dr. C had to run to catch up. He still had no idea what his associate was up to. In that moment when he hurried after Zach, he found himself wishing that he would be here with Link or even B.O.B. instead. They were annoying sometimes but at least he would know how what he could expect from them and how to deal with it.

The prisoner transport walked steadily down the street. The only sound some of them dared to make was some random coughing now and then. Barely one of them would have said that the darkness scared them if someone had asked them before this night. Afterwards no one of this group would be so sure about that anymore. They reached the tunnel and alone that big black hole that lay in front of them like a huge mouth was frightening as hell.

Benny had to hold his little sister closer to ease her, so she wouldn´t dug her legs into the ground to avoid entering that place. He was frightened himself and almost failed to convince her that he would take care of her and that everything was okay. Nothing would happen to them in there. There is nothing in the darkness that isn´t there in the light. But a gaze around to their guards proved it a lie. Now there were things in the dark. A line from Aliens came to his mind (and yes he was well aware of the irony in the fact that it was that film that popped up in his head right now) completely unbidden. „My mommy always said there are no monsters. No real ones."

He shook his head to get rid of the thought but the omnipresent presence of the alien-clones made it impossible. He shivered and that made Joon shiver as well. He hold his little sister tighter, not only to ease her but because the tight grip made it easier for him to control his own shivering. He had to be strong, if not for himself than for her. It was a miracle that she had kept it together for so long and not broken into a seizure yet. Her condition was already instable under normal circumstances. Everything out of order was able to make her flip out. What she needed was a save place that followed her needs and adapted to her. Now all of that was gone and the surroundings were more than just hostile. They were life threatening. If she would flip out, the aliens might decide that she was a unnecessary bearing for them. He couldn´t allow that.

„Just stay calm." he whispered to her. „Everything is fine. Remember what Mom always told us? They can´t harm you as long as they can´t scare you."

„But they do scare me." she whispered back.

„Well … just don´t let them know that." he responded. His gaze wandered over to his friend Christian, who walked beside them. The worry was also in his eyes but alone his shared caring gave Benny new confidence. „Pretend." he went on talking to Joon. „I know you can do that. Just like in the theater play at primary school. Its just like acting, you know. You think you can do that?"

She looked at the tunnel and the aliens around them and shivered. But then she nodded. Benny felt an absurdly strong pride inside of his chest. A pride that almost made him cry. She was trying to be brave to do him a favour. God, why the hell had this to happen? She never hurt a sole and now this. It was not fair.

Slowly they entered the tunnel. Benny felt that for some reason they all ducked their heads a little. As if they were afraid the ceiling would come down at them if they wouldn´t be careful. He threw a brief look up. The lights of the aliens weapons were the only light in this all surrounding darkness. Ahead of this he couldn´t see anything at all and after a few steps inside the tunnel there was nothing left behind them either. It was like walking through nothing at all. The Nothing, it popped up in his head. We are inside of The Nothing. But this was not a version of the Neverending Story. There would be no luckdragon to come and save them and they also couldn´t just lay aside the book when it was too scary to read the next page. This was reality and they were trapped in it forever. They would have to pass through this lurking darkness surrounded by this ball of cold light that didn´t allow them to see farther than a few meters ahead of their own feed.

A little stone came down and hit the ground right before Benny´s foot. He looked up, not because he thought the ceiling would come down after all, therefor the stone had been far too tiny, but because he had nothing else to look at. Joon did the same and when he saw what was up there, his first instinct was to shut her mouth with his hand so she wouldn´t scream. Under the ceiling, hanging head down, Dr. Cockroach took his finger up to his mouth in the international gesture of sshhhh. For some reason that even convinced Joon and made her looking more interested than scared. Benny took the risk and released her face. She didn´t scream.

Above them Dr. Cockroach crawled ahead and vanished into the dark. Benny could only guess that he left the tunnel at the end. But what other target could the insect scientist have? Benny´s brain worked faster than it had ever done before in his life and came to the only possible conclusion that was to be done in this moment. He threw a look over to his friend Christian. Chris didn´t look at him so he bumped him with his elbow. His friend´s look was asking but when he saw Benny´s eyes sparkling with excitement, he got the drift. Something was going to happen soon. He gave the signal along to the guy and girl walking behind him and they gave it along to the others until the whole group was alarmed and waiting for whatever was supposte to happen. The whole process was almost as trained as if they had never done anything else. And since no one had made a single noise in the process the aliens around them didn´t notice anything.

„Joon." Benny whispered and for the first time since they had started this process one of their guards looked at him. In this tunnel every voice that was raised even when it was a whisper sounded much louder than somewhere else. Another effect of this deep darkness. He leaned closer down to her ear and spoke so quiet that even she could barely understand his words. „When I give the signal you hit the ground." he said. She nodded. In her eyes was the same anxiety than in his heart. Everything depended on their reaction to what would happen next.

At last the end of the tunnel came in sight. First just a little glimpse of, not light but something that wasn´t as dark as the tunnel anymore. If one would have blinked or didn´t pay attention, he would have missed the difference. But since every human in this group was looking forward, trying to make out what would be there, no one missed it. Benny exchanged another brief look with Chris. Still they couldn´t see anything ahead. But something had to be there.

And then just a second before they actually reached the end of the tunnel it happened. A bright light suddenly shone at them, blinding everybody human and alien and made the whole procession stop. The cocking of a gun was heard and in that moment Benny just shouted: „DOWN!"

Every human threw himself to the ground, while the aliens looked around in confusion about the strange behavior of these lower lifeforms. Benny covered his sister with his arm and shielded her head against whatever might come. Then the shooting started. A man was yelling and yeah even laughing like mad over the noise of his bullets, while the aliens squeaked and were blown away. Some of them managed it to shoot their own weapons before they were mowed down. The white lights of their laser beams flashed through the tunnel. Then it was quiet.

Benny dared to look up. Everywhere there lay aliens, not moving anymore, their weapons smoking. Only one of them was still alive. It leaned against the wall with his weapon that still glowed after the beam it had shoot at the attacker. When it noticed Benny´s gaze it frowned angry and started to head for him, a fury in its four eyes that told him he was supposte to be the next to die. He had no time to think about what had happened. If Dr. Cockroach was still alive or if he and his quick shooting friend had been killed by the laser beams. He reacted by pure instinct, throwing himself over Joon again, shielding her with his body.

„NO!" someone yelled and the next thing Benny knew was that Chris had jumped at the alien and struggled with it to get the weapon from it. Then another shot echoed through the tunnel. Chris froze in shock. Next to Benny Joon started to scream and tried to struggle herself free from him. A delayed reaction to all the violence just a minute before. Now it broke free. He had to do his best to keep her from running away.

Chris was still standing with the alien. Before it broke down he grabbed its weapon, almost lost it again but then managed it to hold it by pressing it to his chest. His breathing had just started again and he took advantage of that after holding it for at least a minute it seemed. Benny could see cold sweat on his friend´s forehead.

A man came to them stepping out of the darkness into that circle of light that the weapons of the aliens still casted. He was holding a gun and on his face there was an expression someone would expect to see on a John Rambo. He also wore a uniform. The only thing that was missing to make the Rambo-image perfect was the camouflage on his face. He stood with Chris and reached out a supporting hand for him. When he was sure the boy wouldn´t collapse he nodded at him.

„That was good work." he told him. „Very good work."

„Just the same." Chris replied with a nervous chuckle and a glance at the man´s gun. It really was a miracle he hadn´t shot Chris along with the alien.

„All part of the training." the man cried proudly. Then he looked around. „Everybody hurt?" he asked and finally noticed Benny´s affords to calm down his sister. She was still struggling in his arms, was still following her first instinct in a moment of fear: Running.

„Its all right, Joon." Benny talked to her trying to win her attention. „Its over. We´re save. Just calm down, please. Everything is fine."

Another figure approached them. Slowly and more careful than the man with the gun had done it. Everybody gasped when he entered the light.

„Don´t worry." the man cried with his hand held high. „He´s with me. My name is Staff Sergeant Zacharias McNamara. United Marine Corps. This is Dr. Cockroach. Don´t worry about his appearance. He´s all right."

Joon turned her head to have a look at the newcomer. She was still struggling in Benny´s arms. But in the moment when she saw Dr. Cockroach she suddenly stopped. Instead her eyes got this interested look again, as if she had found something so startling and yet so exciting that she couldn´t help but stare at it in complete amazement. Benny exhaled in relief but kept holding her, just in case she should decide that this new thing was too dangerous after all. If she would run away, he would never find her again.

Zach raised both eyebrows at the changing of the girls behavior. He nodded satisfied.

„Seems you have quiet a smoothing effect on the ladies." he stated.

Dr. Cockroach couldn´t help but gave a little smirk at this. It was strange though. Everybody seemed to watch this young girls reaction now, waiting for what she would do, as if she was the emotional leader of the group. If she would run, everybody would run. If she would laugh, everybody would laugh. For what reason ever, this girl now would decide what the group would do about the Doc´s presence.

„Nice to see you again." Benny told Dr. C to brake the ice. Joon looked at her brother confused. „We are old friends." he told her with a nod at the Dr. C. „Doc, if I may introduce. This is my sister Juniper."

Dr. Cockroach hesitated absolutely aware of the fact that everybody was watching them. Finally he took a step forward, offering his hand to the young girl.

„Pleased to meet you, Juniper." he said.

She looked at his hand and then at his face again, still with this big wondering eyes that seemed to ask a thousand questions at once. Then she took his hand shyly.

„Joon." she said.

Dr. Cockroach blinked in surprise. „I beg your pardon?" he asked.

„My friends call me Joon." she explained. „´Cause thats my name. Joon."

Benny gave Dr. C a half smile and slight shrug but the Doc already understood. He smiled at her warmly.

„Pleased to meet you, young lady Joon." he said.

Joon smiled and blushed at this. She looked up to her brother as if to say: He just made me a compliment. Benny had never been that released in his entire life.

„Great." Zach cried out. „Now that we got this straight, could we PLEASE move on before the next procession of aliens comes through and MAYBE with a lot more reenforcement than WE have up until now?"

„Is the army here to save us?" someone asked.

Zach looked at the boy as if he had talked Chinese. „Didn´t you hear a single word I´ve said before?" he asked him. „I´m a Marine. Hallo! And no, no one is here. Just US. Like it or not. We´re the only chance you have. So if you don´t mind. Move your asses and lets get outahere. Oh, and take these guns with you." he added. „They could come in handy later."

Slowly the young people did as he said. As soon as they had gathered together the alien weapons, he urged them out of the tunnel. „First point on the list." he said. „We need a place to hide."

...

There was shooting everywhere. Laserbeams and common gunfire from the soldiers weapons echoed all over the city as it seemed. Sometimes someone screamed. Though the noise had gotten a little lower since Link had decided to follow this one alien. He had spotted it when it peeked around a corner, rather suspicious. Above him Butterflyosaurus had roared and then went into a dive to scare away a bunch of aliens so the soldiers could reform their defensive line. It had worked. The slimy things had ran. But then Link had seen that they didn´t just run. Some of them vanished into holes, windows, doors one even went into a manhole. Their action was just too coordinated to be random. They appeared to sneak somewhere, probably to do something messy there.

He had tried to call to one of the soldiers but they had been far too busy shooting at the aliens that they could see. According to his experience with Monger, he knew it was a lost course to try to reach one of them now. So he had decided to follow this one alien by himself. Maybe he could find out what they were up to and by sneaking into their back, smashing their plan. He reached the corner the thing had vanished behind and hesitated for a second, throwing a searching look around. Toady was jumping up and down around the pyramide, avoiding laser beams and shooting her poison in response. Not even she was available for some back up. Link grumbled. Crap. If someone wanted something to be done, he had to do it by himself. So he let the others play and went on doing the real work.

Maybe the aliens planned to sabotage the new won electronic, this guy Carter and his men had managed to bring back on, he mused while he looked around for the aliens whereabouts. But even if it wasn´t that. He had seen something intriguing in that alien´s face. Something like that was never good. They were definitely up to something. He spotted the alien again and took cover so it wouldn´t see him. When he was sure it didn´t notice his presence, he went on following it.

He could already hear them chatting in their strange alien language, not far ahead behind another corner. Obviously they were discussing what to do. All he needed to do, was to get a little glimpse on what they did there, to know what they were about to do. If he knew that he could go back and warn the others. Somehow he would get one of these soldiers to listen to him.

He passed a couple of trashcans and halted for a second. Then he picked up a club that lay there amongst some other pieces of wood, that once had belonged to a door frame as far as he could tell. Maybe it was a good idea to have a weapon, he thought. Just in case. The lath he had gotten was long and thick. Good enough to bang some alien heads if necessary. Of course it wouldn´t be necessary because they wouldn´t even notice that he was there. He would sneak into their shadows, silently and stealth-like. He was an amphibian, one of the oldest living creatures on this earth. More than that, he was the Missing Link. His instincts were as sharp as a razor blade. No one heard a natural born hunter approaching if he didn´t want them to. Especially not some slimy tentacle walking alien bastards like that.

He could see their shadows. There they were. Two of them standing there and chatting as if they were on a vacation, while a street ahead, people were fighting for their lives. He pressed himself to the wall, trying to make himself thinner than he was. Walking that way, the club in his hand always at the level of his head, he reached the corner and tried to peek around. He saw them. They didn´t notice him. Then something flashed up right next to him, he hadn´t even time to flinch. When he turned around to see what it had been, the club in his hand was gone and just a smoking stump was left. The cocking of at least five alien canons, finally set his brain in motion again so he could realize what had happened. Slowly he raised his hands, looking into five quartets of sardonic grinning eyes.

„Aw, great." he groaned and dropped his head.

* * *

**All right guys. Time is over. See you next week then.**

**And thanks for reading. …... Nur out.**


	26. Chapter 26 Without A Trace

**Hey there. Not many words this week. There was and still is a lot of work to do and it really starts to p**s me off. That means I don´t have as much time for this as I would like to. Just managed it to finish this little piece in time. Hope you enjoy it. (enough self-pity now) Here we go.**

* * *

**Without a trace**

He was circling the city. From above the streets looked like one might imagine new years eve in Honk Kong (or Chinatown for those who were thinking in small terms). Only that in this case it looked like the party had not been limited to the one part of the city that was reserved for the imigrated people of America´s population that came from this big part on the Asian continent. As if the party with all its bangers and firecrackers had spread out into the rest of the city. Every now and then, more often than less, one would see the little flashes of blowing up bangers and hear the corresponding sound it produced. Only that the flashed and bangs Butterflyosaurus heard and saw were not the ones of firecrackers. They were gunfire and laser beams fired out of alien weapons. The later ones gratefully less and less lately. Slowly the humans gained the upper hand. The aliens seemed to retrieve. But so far the battle wasn´t over. Not yet.

Butterflyosaurus spotted another group of aliens who seemed to gather together to attack the soldiers in one body. Butter went into a dive, aiming at them to paste them over with his strings and scare them away in the process, like he had done so often already since the whole thing had started. He was almost at them when suddenly some soldiers came running out of their hiding places, waving up at him and yelling. He had only one second to understand what they meant, then the aliens that had _seemed_ to attack the humans turned around and shot their lasers pinpointed up at him.

He swirled to avoid the beams and made it. Some of them came dangerously close to his wings though. And he spun. He spun dangerously. He almost lost balance and crashed. But his faith was gentle and he managed it just in time to avoid the Stratosphere Tower before he turned it over. Beneath him the soldiers who had saved his life were shot themselves by the angry aliens. Ten seconds later the aliens who shot them were mowed down by their angry comrades. No, this city was not partying at all. It was a slaughterhouse.

Exhaling from his almost shot down, he soured again, looking around to check the situation. The soldiers were still fighting. So was Toady. She was attacked by the aliens as well, but she made them pay each shot of their lasers with two shots of her poison. Just bad that her poison also smothered the buildings around that got hit by it. But in this situation no one would dare to complain about that. They just did their best to avoid the caustic liquid themselves.

Butterflyosaurus kept searching the streets with his eyes. Suddenly he noticed something that had evade him so far. But now, that he had a moment of breathtaking, it finally hit him. He couldn´t spot the Link. Where was he? He should be down there. Was he hiding? Inside of one of the buildings? He had to be, since he was clearly not around in the streets. Butter was a moth and his eyes were the best at night. If his friend had been there, he would have spottet him by now.

He made a bow and flew over to the place where Toady was busy melting down the alien clones. When he was close enough for her to hear, he roared down at her. She looked up at him, rather surprised to be asked something like that right now. She answered quickly and maybe a little pissed about the interruption. Then she jumped up again to avoid another laser. One of them shot up into Butter´s direction and he had to bow to avoid it himself. Toady was busy with her vengeance and didn´t pay attention to him any longer.

Butter kept searching the streets but after a while he had to go back to work himself. Link would have to wait. Surely he was just somewhere where Butter couldn´t spot him. And as long as the aliens were still shooting people in the streets and up at him as well, he couldn´t look for him anyway. Clearly the all so famous multitasking was a myth. He could only do one thing at a time. And that was to fight the aliens in the streets of Las Vegas.

...

„No no no." Zach cried and took the weapon from the boy, who had obviously not the slightest idea how to use such a thing properly. „Hold out your hands." he told him and placed the laser gun into the boys hands the way it had to be there. Ever since they had reached the local theatre (Christian had suggested it as the best place to hide in) he tried to keep these kids from shooting themselves and him with these strange weapons. If he had had a choice he wouldn´t have given any of them anything only remotely related to a gun. But unfortunately he had no choice. Those kids were the only thing he had to make good for real fighters. Right now they were standing and sitting between the rows of seats what were usually occupied by visitors that watched films and tried to figure out the laser guns.

Zach addressed the boy before him. „Listen up … "

„Tom." the boy filled the hole for him.

„Tom." Zach finished his sentence. Everybody looked at them to benefit from the lesson he was about to give Tom. „Imagine that seat over there is the enemy." Zach went on. Tom nodded nervously. „So. I want you to aim with the gun … like this … and when you are sure you have a clean shot at it then you would just pull the trigger. Thats the thing down here."

Tom pulled the trigger when Zach had barely spoken his last word and the seat at the end of the rows went off with a surprisingly effectless plopping sound. Everybody flinched at the sudden laser that had shot through the room.

„I didn´t say to actually do it. I just said you would." McNamara groaned. Behind him the unfortunate chair came down in a corner like a smoking asteroid after it had flown cross the room. Zach groaned again and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

„All right." he said. „Lets agree about something before we go on. No one is firing any kind of weapon inside of this room as long as there is no real alien in sight, okay?"

The kids nodded obediently.

„Good." he wiped his forehead and tried to think. This isn´t gonna work, the little voice in his basement mocked him. But it had to work. No time for pessimism now.

„Okay." he repeated. „At least the shot was good. You hit the target boy and that was good. The only thing is that you fired without permission. And that is never …"

„You gave me permission." Tom argued.

„I did not."

„You said, I should pull the trigger."

„You did." someone agreed with Tom.

„I did not." Zach argued again.

„Yes, you did." everybody replied unisono.

Zach threw up his forefinger, opened his mout but closed it again to calm himself down so he wouldn´t yell. „I said, he WOULD pull the trigger." he finally said. "Not SHOULD. WOULD. In case. OKAY? You kids have to learn that there is a difference between a suggestion and an actual order. If you want to survive out there, when we really go against the aliens, you better get it into your bloody skulls. ´Cause if I give you an order out there and you´re not clear whether you should take it or not, the aliens will blow your heads of within the wink of an eye, got it?"

A girl suddenly burst out into tears without any warning. Her friend gave her a hug to calm her down. She threw McNamara an accusing look as if he had done that intentionally. The girls sobbing was still loud enough to fill the room. Great, Zach thought. This is never gonna work.

Barely twenty feet away, at the little stage in front of the big screen, Joon was busy watching every move Dr. Cockroach made very closely. Slowly the bug-headed scientist felt awkward in that situation.

„What are you?" she asked unashamed frankly.

„Ehm, well …" he stuttered. „I´m a … you can call it a humanoid-Cockroach hybrid."

„So … you´re both?" she guessed.

„Sort of. I was human once. Now I´m … what you see."

„How did you become that way?" she wanted to know.

„It was an accident." he told her. „My intentions were different from what I got at the end."

„What were your intentions?" she asked.

He looked at her for a moment, trying to remember. „The best." he said blankly, surprised about the truth in his words himself. Yes, he had had only the best in mind, when he had started to build this machine. Sure he had wanted to prove to all the closed minded scientists of the world that he was genius and not crazy and it had crossed his mind, that he could even rule the world with his new won powers. But at the end, his true intentions had been to improve mankind. To make it stronger. Like a Cockroach.

„Can you survive an atomic explosion?" Joon asked and dragged him out of his musing.

He blinked at her, stunned about this so absolutely frank question. Her eyes were nothing but curious.

„Well." he chuckled. „I wouldn´t recommend to try it out."

„I don´t think this is a good idea." Zach stated when he strolled over to them. He leaned against the stage next to where Dr. C and Joon sat and looked back to the students who were busy practising with the weapons, teaching each other what they assumed to be the right moves. „I never had such a bunch of untrained kids under me." he sighed.

„They are students, Zach." Dr. C recalled. „Not soldiers."

„Tell me about it." Zach replied with a cynical grin and looked at the kids again with a shaking head. When one of them aimed the gun at himself he jumped over to him and turned it around.

In this moment Dr. C remembered something else. He jumped down from the stage and took a hand on Benny´s shoulder to get his attention.

„Benny. Do you have any idea, where the people are?" he asked him. „I mean … the aliens were about to bring you somewhere."

Benny nodded. „I heard them talk about it." he said. „Its the M.I.T. They turned the school into a prison."

„Fucking elitist system." Christian chipped in and caused a smile on his friend´s face.

„I don´t know why they took the school for it." Benny went on with a shrug. „Maybe its their way of showing us, that we lost."

„I think its because of the architecture." Joon argued from her position at the stage. „The buildings are connected and gathered together on a wide area. The students homes offer many rooms, like cells in a prison. Its perfect to lock away many people."

The three of them looked at her in surprise. She blinked as if she had been caught by doing something forbidden, absolutely not understanding the surprised reaction. Then she shrugged.

„Wait." Zach suddenly cried and came back to them. „You want to tell me that it is the university we have to brake in?"

Benny and Chris nodded in silence.

„This is perfect." Zach cheered much to his companions´ confusion. „Don´t you see? That is common ground for us. We know the perimeter. Thats our home advantage."

„You know the M.I.T.?" Chris asked him with two raised eyebrows.

„Son, I spend the best years of my youth there." Zach replied. „I might be a soldier but I´m also a technician. I don´t know how it is with you, but I know my department like the back of my hand."

„So do I." Tom claimed behind him almost insulted.

Zach turned around to him. „What is your department?" he wanted to know.

„Economic science." Tom answered.

Zach hesitated. Then he moved his head in an assessing way. „Whatever." he finally said. „You´ll do good anyway." he assured poor confused Tom.

„Do good with what?" a girl asked. Others had noticed the chat too and joined them. Zach´s confidence reappeared at this sight. He climbed up at the stage so everybody could see him better.

„All right, everybody listen up. The plan is to get back what is rightfully ours."

Dr. Cockroach blinked in surprise about these words, looking up at Zach with confusion.

„The aliens think they have taken the M.I.T. from us." Zach went on. „But we can prove them wrong. We will go in there and set the people they have captured free. As soon as we did this, we will establish our own base on this ground and organise the resistance against the aliens. We can train the other students the way I trained you and we can …"

„Shouldn´t we think about how to get in there first?" a boy in the group interrupted him.

Zach looked at him in silence for a moment. „Whats your name boy?" he demanded to know.

„Sam." the boy answered a little confused.

„Sam." Zach addressed him. „Do you interrupt your professor when he talks about something as well?"

„Yes." Sam answered.

„Our Profs want us to ask questions any time we have one." the girl at his side explained.

„Well, I don´t." Zach replied. „Cause I´m not a professor and this is not the university. This, young man, is the United States Marine Corps and I´m your superior officer. That means that you are not to talk before I finished my …"

„Ehm, Zach." Dr. Cockroach who had hurried to his side, whispered at him. „I think he´s right. We should think about how we get in there."

„Would you please let me do this." Zach whispered back and immediately addressed the crowd again. „I was about to say that next." he cried, turned back to Dr. C whispering: „If you hadn´t interrupted me, you would have heard it." He turned back to the crowd: „How do we get in?" he cried as if nothing had happened. „Well, I´d say we should …"

„We should go through the ventilation system." a voice from beneath chipped in.

Zach and Dr. Cockroach as well as all the others, looked at the source of that voice rather surprised. It was Joon. She was still sitting at the edge of the stage, her legs tangling and looked up to Zach and Dr. C with her big dark eyes.

„What do you know about the ventilation system, young lady?" Zach asked her.

„She knows everything about it." Benny explained it for her.

„My brother works in that building." she said as if that would explain everything. „They tend to work with chemicals and other dangerous stuff that stinks and could even kill them if the ventilation system should fail. I´m glad to say, that up until today it works perfectly. I check it every week."

„How?" Zach asked confused.

„I have a lock in on the university´s mainframe." Joon explained before Benny could stop her. „I studied the schematics of the system."

„Is that legal?" Zach wanted to know.

„Is that important right now?" Chris replied annoyed to finish this useless discussion.

„Do you remember these schematics?" Dr. Cockroach asked cowering before her.

„She remembers every detail, I can assure you." Benny said matter of factly.

„I can sketch you a plan." she offered.

Dr. C exchanged a look with Zach and it wasn´t even necessary to ask if he was thinking the same thing.

„Could you guide us in instead?" Dr. C asked Joon.

„Wow." Benny cried. „Just a second. My sister is not going in there. No way. She stays here, where it is safe."

„And who stays with her?" Zach asked facing the boy. „You? Can you really make sure that she will be safe here? What if the aliens come in? You think you can protect her?"

„We will hide." Benny said.

„Worked great last time." Zach replied.

Benny got angry and tried to climb up the stage to grab Zach. Chris grabbed his friends shoulders and hold him back. Zach didn´t even blink.

„Face it, son." he cried down at him. „There is no such thing as a safe place in that city. Not as long as these bloody aliens are here. You ensure your sisters safety the best by helping us. As long as she´s with us we can protect her."

„No way." Benny was stubborn. „She isn´t going anywhere."

„I will." Joon chipped in calm and thoughtful. She looked at Benny with open eyes, that spoke much louder than any word. She wasn´t going to discuss about her decision. And though Benny knew better after knowing her and her condition for so long, he disagreed.

„I won´t allow that." he told her.

„You can´t forbid me to go." she said. „I´m sixteen years old. The law sais that I can …"

„I don´t care, what the law sais, Joon." he cried out loud. „I´m your brother. You´ll do what I say."

„I won´t." she replied, now angry about him. Her eyes had turned hard. Again he ignored it, against his better knowledge.

„You´ll stay here with me." he insisted.

„No." she cried and when he still kept talking she raised her hands and pressed them over her ears.

„We will hide under the stage." he talked to her, trying to get her hands off her ears. She struggled against his grip. He tried harder to get her hands down, but she wouldn´t let go. Eventually she started to scream.

„Joon, you must listen to me." he shouted at her. She just shook her head and struggled harder to get free from him. Everybody in the room watched the scene with tension, afraid to witness something ugly. Joon wouldn´t listen, no matter how hard he tried. Her screams were high and pinching and there were tears running down her cheeks.

Eventually Chris grabbed Benny and dragged him away from her. As soon as she felt his hands were off her, she backed away, crawling backwards up the stage until her back was at the wall beneath the screen. She had her hands pressed against her ears again, seesawing and mumbling to herself. No, she wouldn´t listen to him. She wouldn´t. He couldn´t make her.

Benny stared at her in shock, finally realising his terrible mistake. He wanted to go to her, wanted to apologize, to tell her how sorry he was, but his first step in her direction caused her to press herself into the corner even more. She didn´t scream anymore but her gaze that was fixated on him, was haunted like a trapped animal. He hesitated desperately, not daring to go closer to her and probably cause another seizure. He´d done too much already.

After a minute or so, in what she had watched her older brother very closely, just in case he should try it again, Dr. Cockroach took the risk and walked over to her. Her eyes flickered from Benny to him. He stopped, trying to look harmless. She stared at him with wide eyes but she didn´t back up any further. He took another step and another until he reached her. She didn´t seem to object. He knelt down so he could talk to her face to face.

„I don´t want to stay here." she whispered to him and threw a look over to her brother.

Dr. Cockroach followed her gaze and sighed when he saw Benny´s desperate face. „You don´t need to, my dear." he said, gently fondling her shoulder. „You don´t need to."

...

Henderson and his men chased the aliens down the streets. He had no idea what was going on in the rest of the city but he was pretty sure that it was almost over. The shooting had started to get less intense and he hadn´t seen too many of them anymore. They were winning. The little slimy things ran from them. At last they had prevailed. They had taken a great deal of losses but at last they had beaten them. The city would be back in human hand not too far in the future.

The bunch of aliens his group was chasing, vanished through a manhole and was gone. He reached the hole and stared down. Nothing was to be seen. Some orders and a handful of his men and the chase would go on underground. Henderson and his Lieutenant waited for their report while others kept their eyes open, in case of another attack. But for now it seemed as if the battle was over. Henderson was too experienced in the battlefield to cheer though. They surely hadn´t gotten them all and there was always the possibility that the enemy just retrieved to come back later with reinforcement. But for the moment his men could take a breath and take care of the comrades who hadn´t make it. There wouldn´t be time to bury the dead right now, but at least they could show them that much respect to not let them lie around in the streets. Everything else would be taken care of later.

The moth roared over their heads and he looked up. The roar was answered by the croaking of the Toad. Henderson turned around to have a look at her too. The two big creatures seemed to talk about something and even more important, they seemed worried about it. Henderson frowned. In this moment the moth turned to him an obviously pleading look in his eyes, and roared again.

„What´s the matter with him?" Lieutenant Hardwick asked.

„I have no idea." Henderson replied, his eyes still on Butterflyosaurus. „Something´s worrying them. Where is the other one? The Missing Link? He understands what they say. Bring him here. He shell translate for us."

Hardwick hurried away to find the wanted. Butterflyosaurus shook his head and roared again. Henderson was confused. It was as if the moth tried to tell him something. The look in his eyes was familiar but Henderson couldn´t place it.

„I believe, he tries to tell us something else." a voice with a thick accent said next to Henderson. The Major turned around and faced the Russian technician. Novorsky was his name, he recalled.

Henderson was about to agree with him. The moth and the Toad seemed anxious about something. More than that. They were worried. And then he remembered where he had seen looks like theirs before. They reminded him on the looks he had seen in the eyes of some civilians he had met in Afghanistan some years ago, after a bomb had blown up a café and killed some customers. Many people had gathered around the border they had build up to secure the street, crying and asking for their friends and relatives. They had not gotten any message if they were dead or alive then. Their eyes had had the same look as the eyes of the huge moth right now. Henderson looked at Novorsky when a sudden realisation hit him. The Russian technician seemed to have the same idea but he was less shocked about it than Henderson was.

Hardwick came back to him. „I´m sorry, sir." he said. „I couldn´t find the Missing Link. He seems to be disappeared."

This report confirmed Henderson´s guess. And though the Major had already known that it was true, a part of him had hoped that he was wrong after all. Now he couldn´t deny it. The look in those huge eyes were not to be mistaken. Again he exchanged a look with Novorsky, the man who obviously had guessed the matter even before he had. Henderson sighed.

„I think now we have a problem." he said.

* * *

**All right people. You know what comes next so let´s just say it together.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	27. Chapter 27 Back In Town

**Hi, Suewe. Grüße. Are you getting serious with the language stuff or are you just playing around? I was smiling when I read your comment. Grammar is wrong but hey ... its the thought that counts. But stick with the `Du´. `Ihre´ is the formal version. Something you say to a stranger. We are all friends here. **

**Claws: Actually a good question. I have no idea where Gallaxhessa is. Guess we´ll have to wait until she shows up again. I have a feeling she´s already on her way. Butt ... we´ll have to wait for it.**

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**Back in town**

It was burning. The goddamn tank was burning. They had managed it to bring it here, using all the resources they had had, only to see it burning. The intention behind that idea had been simple enough at the time. To use it against the aliens that tried to tear apart their city. Because a tank was a much better protection against their laser beams than anything else, wasn´t it? Of course it was. It had to be. No one would have gotten only the idea that this plan could not work. At least not Major Stanton that was for sure. It had never ever crossed his mind. Neither had it crossed the minds of his men. All they had been thinking of was how they could accomplish this slightly insane project of getting a tank with a dead motor from Quantico to Washington.

Damn, how long was that ago, Stanton wondered. Six hours? At least his watch was saying so. But it had felt like a lifetime. All this working and melting and building up a platform that was solid enough to carry the tank and roll it along the streets. Not to mention the way they had had to manage, dragging the freaking thing along the streets until they finally reached the city. And boy oh boy hadn´t his men cheered when they had seen them coming? You bet they had. You might have thought they had been rolling into a parade instead of a battlefield.

„We made it, Josh." his comrade Tucker had cried next to him. He pronounced it `Weee maayd it´ with the characteristical long stretched consonant of the Mississipi bros. „Ay toul´ you wee´d mayk it." he´d said and he had shown him the most incredible white line of teeth Josh Stanton had ever seen in a black face like Tucker´s.

In that moment Josh truly had felt like leading a parade for a moment. But that moment had passed rather quickly. It lasted for five more minutes, until they had reached the buildings. Then the robot the soldiers had fought before their arrival, had appeared again and every illusion of an easy fight was blown out like a candle in a hurricane.

They had been able to stand the first shot of the laser. The second one had smashed the turret and suddenly it had started to become very hot inside the tank. Tucker had opened the hatchway. He had yelled that they were burning and literally dragged Josh out with him. They had just jumped down on the street when the third shot had hit the tank and turned it right over as if it were a plastic toy that the little boy had tipped over with his foot. Now it was lying on its roof and the platform Stanton and his men had build up within four hours or so, was now burning as if it was of wood instead of metal.

Stanton raised his hand to protect his face from the heat he could feel even though they were at least twenty feet away. It had to be hot, you bet. It was solid metal that was burning there. What in the universe could be so hot, that it made metal like that burn, he wondered. The same time he felt a stitch inside of his chest. It was anger, frustration, fear, all in one. This tank had been their only hope of finally making a stand against the invasion. And now it was gone. Within a minute. One single minute. This robot had blown it away right under their asses and they did nothing to him. Nothing at all. They hadn´t even had a chance to fire at it.

It was the shooting that brought him back to reality. The rattling sound of the MP´s that fired at the robot, trying to fight it back. A hand grabbed his shoulder and lifted him off the ground.

„Take cover!" Tucker yelled at him and together they ran to the next corner.

„Did you see that?" someone yelled at them, and Stanton needed to look at the man to recognize the voice of his other comrade Eddy Cochrane over the shooting noise. „Did you see that?" he yelled again. „I don´t believe it!"

„You better do!" Stanton yelled back at him.

„Dammit, man." Eddy yelled, still completely taken aback over what had happened. „How the hell could they do that? That was a fucking tank they shot at."

„I don´t know how they did it." Stanton yelled impatiently. „But they did, okay. It happened."

A red laser shot into the street and left a black smoking hole in the pavement. Stanton and Tucker fired around the corner without caring if they aimed at the robot or just into the sky. In fact they didn´t even look into the direction they were shooting at. It was just an instinctive reaction. The kind of move one did to make the enemy take cover again so they could breath for a second.

„What do we do now?" Eddy cried when they were done with their aimless shooting.

„Concentrate on staying alive." Stanton replied. Then he gave a couple of signals to his men and the soldiers hurried to formate a new line. As soon as they had finished that the shooting went on. The robot was still heading at them, its metallic tentacles reaching out for them to grab the men he didn´t shoot. One of them got caught and his comrades started to shoot at the tentacle. It was no use. The forcefield protected it until it had stored the captured man inside its belly.

„We must thinkof sumethin veery soon." Tucker cried.

„I know." was all Stanton knew to answer. He looked around, trying to do what Tucker had suggested. Everything in his head was racing. „Eds!" he yelled.

„Here." Eddy answered.

„Retrieve!" Stanton yelled. „Move half of the men back to that building over there. Defensive line. The others stay here with me. Maybe you can get it from behind."

„Check." Eddy cried, took one hand to his mouth and whistled. When the men looked at him he gestured to them to follow.

„Thaats your plaan?" Tucker shouted at Stanton. „Plaayin bait for that thin´ ?"

„You have a better idea, I´m all ears." Stanton replied.

„Ay´d just prefeer not to be grilled early." Tucker said. „If thaat is possible."

„Then do your best not to." Stanton replied and checked the movement of Eddy and the others. They had rounded the corner and vanished from his sight. „All right." he said. „Let´s get to it. Ready?"

„No, man." Tucker replied.

„Good. Then let´s go."

The two of them ran out of the street and started shooting at the robot. The other soldiers who had stayed with them did the same. Together they kept the attention of the robot at themselves so it wouldn´t notice their comrades on the other side of the building. They only had to keep it busy long enough so the others could attack from behind. Still hoping that this action would cause any damage to that godforsaken thing. But that was not the right way of thinking. One couldn´t survive nor win a fight if he didn´t believe in a chance. Stanton aimed at the head of the robot. When it turned at him he started to shout at it.

„Hey, you ugly turd!" he yelled. „Here! We are here!"

On his signal his men retrieved and ran as if fleeing. The robot attempted to follow them but then it suddenly halted. It moved its head as if it was thinking. Then it turned around and headed for the building instead of following them.

„No!" Stanton and Tucker cried unisono. „Here!" Stanton went on yelling at the thing. „Follow us. Us! Dammit!"

The robot shot at the building and the roof and part of the front went off and were blown away. Rocks, wood and glas flew in every given direction. When the storm of flying fragments was over the screams began. Stanton only knew that he was running. Running to the place where Eddy and the others had been supposte to hide. He could hear someone yell that he was stuck. Another one cried for help because his friend was hurt. Others were just screaming in pain.

„Eddy!" Tucker yelled. „Eds, where are you?"

A sound between a groan and a scream answered them. They spun around and found Eddy half lying half sitting, his leg spread out in front of him. Something stuck out of his upper leg. It was a bloodsoaked piece of wood. A part of a window that had flown around after the building was smashed. Eddy sucked the air through his gritted teeth.

„Just lay still." Stanton told him while Tucker helped him to sit better. The movement hurt and Eddy cried out in pain. He wasn´t the only one. All around them the soldiers tried to help their comrades who had been behind the building when it came down.

Over their heads right behind the remains of the building the robot-head looked down at them. There was a noise that came from it. Stanton thought of a snarling animal, hearing that sound. The predator finally had its pray. The red eyes of the robot started to glow again. Ready to shoot. So thats it, Stanton thought. That was the big battle. It had started barely twenty minutes ago. What an exit. Not quiet the big glory of the all so famous band of brothers.

He wanted to close his eyes, to wait for the final shot, but somehow he couldn´t get his eyes off that robot. It was as if those red eyes had somehow hypnotized him into paralysis. Like the rabbit by the snake. He just couldn´t look away. The glowing became brighter and brighter. Any second it would shoot.

Suddenly someone began shooting at it again and caught its attention. Someone started to yell but in an agressive way. There were at least three or more voices in a chorus. They seemed to come from three sides at once. Stanton had a feeling as if he knew one of those voices but he had no time to think about it. The robot shot again but missed. Then it turned around to aim at the other attackers. What happened here? Where some of them still fulfilling the plan after all? But how was that possible? He´d thought they all where lying around back here.

One of the attackers called something to another and again the voice sounded awfully familiar to Stanton.

„Didcha hear that?" Tucker asked him.

„Cause I did." Stanton answered.

Tucker listened again. The people were still calling for each other but they couldn´t make out their words. Though suddenly Tucker´s eyes brightened.

„That´s the Boss!" he cheered.

„What!" Stanton cried and stared up at the robot. The thing started to tremble now. Its field flickered and it staggered as if it had problems to keep the balance. Then without any warning at all, it just exploded. The head of the thing flew apart and without it the legs were only able to stand for ten more seconds. It crashed into the street like a falling tree. Something splashed out of it and speckled the street and walls around. Something blue and slimy.

Stanton was still too shocked from the deafening bang the thing had made by hitting the ground and he surely wasn´t the only one. From far away it seemed to him, he heard a voice – Tucker had been right, it was the voice of their Boss – that reported that they had succeeded and that the men were all here. Stanton wanted to turn around to have a look at him and with that the proof that he wasn´t just hearing things. But again he couldn´t bring himself to look away. Only this time his eyes were fixated on the blue slime that had covered the walls around the smashed robot. Something told him that it was no alien oil.

And then something started to happen with that stuff and he just knew he was right. It rolled off the walls and over the streets, heading straight to one point where it collected itself and slowly started to grow. Though he couldn´t recall it, but in this moment Stanton was sure he must have been hit on the head by a flying fragment when the building was blown apart. How else could he explain that he really thought he would hear someone laugh at this?

...

„Here is the megaphone you asked for, Major." Hardwick said and handed the device over.

„Thanks Lieutenant." Henderson said.

„I still don´t understand what you need it for."

Instead of explaining himself, Henderson switched the megaphone on and raised it into the air. „Test, test." he cried his voice shrieking and loud through the device. Hardwick pressed a hand over his right ear and squinted. Henderson didn´t bother. He turned around and looked up at Butterflyosaurus and the Toad.

„Blink once for yes, twice for no." he said. „Do you know what happened with the Missing Link?"

Butter blinked one time. Then after a brief consideration he blinked two times.

„Yes and no." Henderson mused. He took the megaphone again. „Have you any idea where he could be?" he cried.

Butter blinked twice. _No._

Henderson cursed inside. Then he asked what was actually no question at all, but for some reason he just had to speak it out to make it real. „Its the aliens, isn´t it?" he asked. „They got him."

A single blink.

„You think he´s still alive?" Henderson asked, his voice a little less shrill this time. He was afraid to get two blinks at this. He didn´t know why. He had just met them all and knew next to nothing about them. They were not his friends. God, how could they? But they had fought side by side and as a soldier he had grown to appreciate their determination in this very quickly. When you are in battle you have to adjust to the comrades that are fighting with you or you´d die. They had survived this battle. Together. And now one of them was missing. It didn´t matter if it was a man or a monster. He was one of their own.

The moth didn´t blink this time. He just exchanged a helpless look with the toad. Henderson gritted his teeth. Crap. This was something he hated. A situation that was not clear. This was something for the police not for a soldier.

„Why is that important?" Hardwick suddenly asked him. „The fish is gone. He maybe just went down in the canalisation to have a swim. Why do we bother? Don´t we have more important things to do?"

Henderson almost didn´t know what to say, so startled was he. It hadn´t even occurred to him that the Lieutenant would question his affords to find out what happened.

„These creatures helped us defeat the aliens." he stated.

„Yeah, but … come on." Hardwick lowered his voice so Butter and Toady wouldn´t hear him. „They are monsters." he said. „I mean look at them. You really want to waste our resources on them?"

„I believe the right answer to an order given to you by your superior officer is yes sir." Henderson said. „Since when is it common sense that I need to explain myself to you, Lieutenant?"

„Never sir." Hardwick answered with a hard voice.

„I guess so." Henderson replied the same way. „You are dismissed. You may assist the search group now. There are still some aliens on the loose. Use our resources the best you can to solve that problem, would you?"

„Yes sir." Hardwick saluted and went away. Henderson didn´t fail to notice the loathing gaze he threw over his shoulder at Butter and Toady.

„Some peepul …" a thick voice said and Henderson turned around and looked at Novorsky. The Russian technician wagged his hand in a weighting way as if looking for the right words. „ … they are … how do you say? Diffi-coolt."

„We don´t have the time for difficulties." Henderson said angry. „Can I help you with something, Mr. Novorsky?"

„I though maybe I can help you." Novorsky replied. „What you want to do?"

Henderson looked up to Butter. He had not the slightest idea how to proceed. So he shook his head and said: „We do what is common sense in a kidnapping case. We wait for the kidnappers to call and tell us what they want."

...

„Just lay still." Bryce told Eddy Cochrane while Alisha was taking care of his leg.

„I can´t believe that you are here, Boss." Stanton told Bryce. „I mean …"

„Don´t ask now." Bryce said. „We´re here. Thats all that matters right now."

Stanton looked over to where the blue monster sat. It was weird. He had hoped for help but he´d never thought about something like that. A granate placed inside a slimeball that could crawl up inside the target and place itself. But when had he ever expected to fight against an alien invasion? Compared to that this kind of help was not that weird he guessed. At least the boss was back and with him the message that the president and his men where no longer hold hostage by the invader. Which seemed to be an invadress. Weird enough. The boss had not been able to tell them where the president was right now, but he had been positive that he was back on earth by now. Somewhere on the planet.

Stanton shook his head. The president was the least of their problems. Bryce, Monger and their little troop had managed to destroy one robot but there were still enough of them on the loose. And now a big part of their own unit was disabled and no longer ready to fight. Eddy was one of the more lucky guys with just a flesh wound in his leg.

„They beat us." he mumbled in disbelieve. „We did everything we could and they just beat us in a few seconds."

„Hey." Bryce shot at him but with a surprisingly soft voice. „We´re not dead, Josh. Understood?"

„Tell that Ben and Zach." Stanton replied gloomy.

Ben Nicols had been a friend of Josh and Zach McNamara was well know on the base by almost everyone. The message of their department had done no good for Stanton´s moral and stamina. Looking around in this field of fragments and wounded men he felt weak and worn out. Defeated. Not the way a soldier should feel in the face of danger, he knew. But that made it even worse.

„Major." Bryce addressed him sternly. When Stanton didn´t react, he barked the rank at him.

„Yes." Stanton replied finally facing him. „Yes, I hear you."

„Good." Bryce said. „I said, we´re not dead, Major."

Stanton tried to hold the gaze but couldn´t. „But we´re beaten, sir." he said and the sir he hissed in anger and frustration. „Look around. They got us."

„They got _some_ of us." Perez chipped in, not less angry than Stanton was. „I dunno about you, but I intent to let them pay for that."

„Ah yeah?" Stanton replied. „And how you suggest we do that? Hm? We have nothing left. What do you think we can do with a handful wounded men?"

„Hey, don´t take me out of the game yet." Eddy said. „I´m not completely down. Give me a minute to take my breath and one or two painkillers and I´ll stand like a one. Or maybe a one point five. But I´ll stand."

Stanton looked down at Eds and didn´t know what to say. The man was covered with dirt and his trousers were soaked with his blood, but there was still life and strength in his eyes. He really meant it. Stanton only felt dizzy.

„And by the way." Eddy went on. „We´re not the only ones."

„What do you mean?" Stanton asked after a moment of taking his words in.

„There is a group of fighters somewhere inside the city. They seem to do quiet good up until now. No soldiers. Civilians I believe. But they are still alive better yet they are still fighting. And that says something. We tried to get in contact with them but something is disturbing our signals. They tried to answer us with some sort of a code, using tapping sounds over the static. But they must have made it up, cause I don´t know this code at all."

„What does that code sound like?" General Monger asked, suddenly very interested.

Eddy took the walkie talkie from his belt and switched it on. The static was loud and steady. But listening closer one could hear the tapping in it. A rhythmic unsteady tapping, like from a finger tapping on a microphone.

„Is that a recording?" Bryce asked confused.

„No." Eddy said. „They´re sending it constantly. Maybe _they_ have recorded it, we don´t know. It seems to repeat itself over and over again. But we couldn´t make out what it is supposte to mean."

The soldiers listened to the sound for a while. Then Perez shook his head.

„That is no code that I´ve ever heard of." he said.

„We came to the same conclusion." Eddy agreed and was about to put the walkie talkie down again.

„Wait." Monger insisted and kept listening.

„What is it?" Susan asked and came over so she could see better what was going on.

„That tapping sounds familiar." Monger said still listening.

„Yeah, I heard that too." Bryce agreed. „Its very old. From the war."

„Iran?" Perez asked.

„Second World War." Bryce replied as if surprised about this wrong assumption.

Perez´s eyes went quickly back and forth. „I knew that." he claimed.

„You want to tell us that you know this code?" Eddy asked in disbelieve.

Monger and Bryce exchanged a glance with each other. Eventually Monger reached out and took the walkie talkie from Eddy. „Give me a minute." he said. „And I need something to write."

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**All right people. You know the process. I see you in a week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	28. Chapter 28 Cryptic

**Claws: Wow. You couldn´t wait to pin that on me could you? I noticed this too but too late. And it has nothing to do with grammar btw, its just a spelling mistake. Sorry for that. It won´t happen again. (I wish I could blame it on medics but I don´t take any)**

**Suewe: I know its confusing and I took a calculated risk knowing that you might not understand this kind of writing, but I just had to. No, Tucker is not stuttering. He is talking in dialect (sort of). I wrote the words the way he would pronounce them. (Ay´d would be I´d, Didcha = did you) One gets used to it after a while. (But a stuttering guy is an interesting idea too, maybe I get back to that)**

* * *

**Cryptic**

The room was small and dark. There were only some candles to spend some light. But the most important thing was that it was quiet. The shooting from outside was muffled enough for him to let him work. When it came up again. The shooting didn´t happen the whole time. There were pauses. The aliens tried to get in – they fought them back – they ran. Later they would try again. Then the shooting would start over again, but so would the resistance. The Ma´am would not let them in, he knew. He had no reason to be afraid. It wasn´t fear that made the shooting so bad. It was the noise. It was disturbance. It intruded his thoughts, his concentration. He could´t work when he couldn´t concentrate. And he had to concentrate when he wanted to fulfil his task. The Ma´am had asked him to do it and he wanted to do it for her. He was the only one who could do it. She had said so. And he assumed that she was probably right. Why should she lie anyway? The Ma´am didn´t lie. Never in a hundred years he would have believed that to be possible.

He trusted her. There was something about her that made him trust her with his very life even if he never met her before his entire seventeen years long life. Seventeen years, three month and thenty-four days. He knew such things. And he knew how to do that code she had told him. No one else had known it but her. He hadn´t known it either but he had memorized it immediately. And that was the reason why she had chosen him to do it.

Douglas Tompson was autistic. After the aliens had entered the city he had hidden in his room, trying to keep the changes out. He had closed the door and waited for it to pass. He had picked up his daily routine, cleaning his room, reading the newspaper – it was the newspaper from 1999 the same newspaper he read everyday – and sorting his book shelf alphabetically. His parents had been gone out before it had started and he had no idea where they were. After three hours thirty-two minutes and three seconds his brother Dick had come home. He was with the Ma´am and a younger lady. They had carried weapons. Dick had told him to come and he had come. Dick was his big brother and he took care of him. If Dick would have told him _Duggy, jump off this hightower, its save,_ then he would have done it. Dick was smart. Dick knew things Duggy didn´t know. Dick would take care of him.

Outside they had joined some more people, also carrying weapons. Together they had walked through the streets until they had arrived here. That building was safe. Dick and the Ma´am had said so and Duggy had trusted them. It was a government building. There had been three big Letters on a sign outside. FBI. Duggy didn´t know what that meant but these government people had great stuff in here. They had lots and lots of computers – now all off because everything was off – and they had security. This building had been safe all these years, it had to be safe now. That was what Dick and the Ma´am had said. And now they were here.

The Ma´am had told the others how to protect the building and the others had done as she said. She was smart. They trusted her. Someone had found a radio and suggested to send a message out to the military, so they could send them help. The radio signal had been bad and they couldn´t get anyone. Eventually the Ma´am had told them the code with what they could send a message without words. It wasn´t morse, she said, because she was pretty sure the aliens knew that one by now. If they wanted to trick them, they had to use something else. Something much older. She was older so she knew the right code. A chiffre she had called it.

She had tapped it over the radio for a while but got no response. Obviously no one understood the old signal. After a while she had started to loose her strength. She hadn´t been able to sit any longer, not to mention moving her finger the same way over and over again. She had been sad about the failure of her idea. She was the only one of the group who knew the code by heart but she couldn´t send it any longer.

She had said, that if anyone outside was supposte to ever understand her code than they had to send it over and over again and that nonstop. Eventually someone would arrive and understand it. A certain someone she hoped for, Duggy knew. That this someone hadn´t been there had made her sad. Duggy didn´t want her to be sad. That was the reason why he had sat down on the radio while the Ma´am and Dick had talked. He had started to keep doing what she had stopped and he had done it perfectly.

The Ma´am had been pleased. She had hugged him and ruffled his hair. Dick had put his hand on Duggy´s shoulder and squeezed it proudly. All the time Duggy hadn´t stopped tapping. And he wouldn´t stop until Dick or the Ma´am told him that he should stop. This tapping wasn´t his daily routine – none if it was and usually he wouldn´t be able to stand this kind of a change in his daily routine – but somehow he had managed it to make it his routine for today. It had been because of the Ma´am. And because Dick was here. If it hadn´t been because of them, Duggy would have broken down already. But this way he kept tapping and it did him good. It was smoothing. It was routine.

Behind him the door opened and Dick came in. Duggy didn´t need to turn around to know it was him. He recognized it on the way his feet made sounds on the ground. He would had recognized his brother´s steps under a million others if necessary.

„How´s it going, Duggy?" Dick asked. His voice was exhausted.

„Undisturbed." Duggy answered and kept tapping. After a while Dick asked: „You need to pee, Duggy? You´re in here for quiet a while now."

„I need to pee." Duggy agreed.

„Okay." Dick said. „Then you should go."

„I mustn´t stop." Duggy objected.

„Therefor you may stop." Dick told him. „You can´t sit there forever. You also need to eat and drink something. I call Mother Harriette. She can take over again."

Mother Harriette was the Ma´am. Everybody had started to call her that way, even though she wasn´t their mother. As far as Duggy knew she wasn´t even related to any of them. This younger lady who was with her, was the only one who was really related with her. She called her Granny. Duggy assumed that she was the Ma´am´s granddaughter. But she was the only one in the group that was the Ma´am´s grandchild. The others weren´t. Still they called her mother Harriette and that in such a natural manner as if they had never known any other way to name an old lady like her. Duggy didn´t know why. But he thought it quiet strange. Even Dick called her that and he surely had to know that she wasn´t his mother. Duggy wouldn´t call her mother. He liked her a lot but she was not his mother. His mother was somewhere in the city and if she knew he called another woman mother she surely would be upset about it. That was why he only called her the Ma´am.

„I call her." Dick said again. „She´ll keep tapping for a while."

„Sure?" Duggy asked.

„Sure." Dick squeezed Duggy´s shoulder. „You did great little brother."

Duggy smiled proudly. He always was pleased when someone told him he did good with something. Especially when it was Dick who told him.

„I go and get Mother Harriette here." Dick said and went out. Duggy kept tapping. He wouldn´t stop before his brother and the Ma´am would be back. The signal was not to be interrupted.

...

„Do you have something?" Eddy asked impatiently, maybe for the tenth time since Monger and Bryce had started to decrypt the strange message, coming in over radio. Every time Bryce had given him a sharp glance, but even that warning couldn´t stop Eddy Cochrane from feeling excited. When Eddy had started being in on something nothing was able to keep him down. Literally at least. Figuratively he was quiet pinned down, since his leg was still hurting. That had been the reason why the two officers had moved farther away from him to have some quiet while they were working. Now Eddy sat on his place, leaning against a part of the buildings wall that had come down when the alien robot shot it. He still looked over to the two officers, trying to see what they were doing. His question he had shouted over to them, so they would hear that he was there.

Monger turned around and looked at him with a face that asked: Is this guy for real? Eddy raised his shoulders in confusion. What did he say that was so wrong? He was only interested in what progress they made.

A slap from behind hit him on the back of his head. He turned around and looked up into the dark eyes of Tucker.

„Keep it shut, willya?" he said. „You staart to getonmy neerves."

„Is he always that way?" Monger asked his companion on the other side of the place.

„Worse." Bryce answered. „But he is a good marine."

They were still busy figuring out the message. „If he shoots as fast as he talks, I have no doubt of that." Monger said and wrote down another word.

A loud bang was audible somewhere around the corner. None of them flinched. By now they had become used to that sounds. Susan was turning around big parts of the walls for a while now, building up a barricade against new attacks. Though this time the bang hadn´t sounded like a rock.

The reason was simply that it hadn´t been a rock this time. It was the tank she had turned around. Better yet the remains of what had once been a tank. Now it was a half melted piece of metal. She moved it back and forth a few times until it fitted into the hole between the wall and the rock.

„All right." Stanton commented looking along the barricade and nodded absent minded. „Good. That should do."

„Everybody who can still walk, secure this wall." Alisha cried over to the soldiers and the men and women started to move.

Perez had managed to get himself up on one of the stones to a place that formed a small platform. He had explicite asked Susan to put this one in the middle of the barricade so he would have the perfect overview. He had installed his gun there, so he could aim outside with it in case any aliens should try to approach. Now he sat there, in a half lying position his leg stretched out, and peered out like a very dedicated guard on the tower of a prison.

„You feeling all right?" Susan addressed Stanton gently when he kept looking distracted. At the sound of her voice he flinched, turning to her in surprise.

„Yeah." he said. „Why shouldn´t I?"

„Well, you seemed quiet upset before." Susan recalled. „Things are going to be all right." to underline her statement she pointed at the wall and the soldiers who were taking in their positions. „We are back in the game." she said.

„Sure." Stanton agreed politely. „´Course we are."

Susan frowned. He didn´t sound too eager about it. „You don´t believe we have a chance, do you?" she guessed.

He looked at her, this time really startled. „What? No. No its not …" He sighed. „I´m just … worried." he said.

„Thats understandable." Susan said empathic. „Some of your men are hurt. Everybody would be worried."

„Thats not it." Stanton said. „I mean … I´m worried about them too, of course." he quickly added.

„But?" Susan asked.

He sighed again. „I have a wife and a little girl, you see. They are somewhere inside the city and … Since there had been no contact … I don´t even know if they are okay."

Susan felt a stitch in her heart. Instinctively she reached out a hand and touched his arm. „I know how you feel." she said. „I don´t know about my parents either."

He looked back at her with somewhat like gratefulness in his eyes. It wasn´t necessary to say it. For a moment Susan considered if she should promise him, that they would find his family and that they would be all right. But then she didn´t. There was no way to tell if anyone would be all right. A promise like that would too much sound like a lie. And she didn´t want to lie.

„We´re done!" they heard Bryce´s voice.

They kept looking at each other for another moment. Then they went back behind the building, where the others had already gathered around the two officers.

„What is it?" Eddy wanted to know.

„Its a call for help." Monger told them. „You were right, they are civilians. A dozen people. They say that they are hiding inside FBI headquarters."

A gasp of aw and disbelieve went through the group when he said that.

„If they are civilians how can they know this code?" Stanton asked.

„Maybe there is a veteran with them." Bryce offered a possible explanation. „Don´t look the gift horse into the mouth. Be grateful that it is there."

„Certainly Boss." Stanton agreed.

„They made a stand on their own and managed it to survive that long." Monger stated. „Now they are expecting the government to save them."

„Good luck with´aaat." Tucker said. „We baar´ly can savou´selves."

„We can´t?" Bryce asked with a raised eyebrow that made Tucker skip back a little.

„Ay´m sorry, Boss." he said. „But mowst of aa´ guys a´ down. How-a wee s´poste to geetinto the city and get those people outathere?"

„No one said anything of going in to get them out." Monger answered for Bryce. „At least not just because of this."

„Wha´ doyou mean withaat?"

„You ever played chess?" Monger asked back. „Its something that is called castling. Two figures are moved the same time, one to be saved, one to attack. The enemy can be attacked from two sides this way."

„This is a very liberate adaptation." Bryce remarked.

„I know." Monger admitted. „But we are at war and there a man has to be flexible. Besides. We have at least two aces in our hand to make up for this." he added.

Tucker threw a look at Stanton. „What, aa wee playin poker now?" he asked.

„What aces are you talking about?" Eddy asked confused.

Monger just grinned at him. „That is something I like to call: monsterpower." he said.

...

The metal banged when it was set to the ground. The two boys grabbed it tighter but a little too late to stop the sound. Everybody flinched at it and listened around if anyone had heard them. When nothing happened the group of teenagers relaxed again.

„Why don´t we just ring the bell and ask the aliens politely if we may enter?" Zach asked in a sharp whisper.

„I´m sorry." Tom snapped back the same way. „Okay? Its cool. Nothing happened. We are in."

„Son, you can be glad that this is not Iraq." Zach said. „You would be dead already."

„What´s your problem?" Tom asked. „The thing is open. Next time you may do it yourself."

„You listen to me, boy." Zach hissed with his finger raised but he didn´t come any further.

„Shush." Dr. Cockroach whispered. „We are lucky they didn´t hear us so far. You two shut it before our luck fails us."

Zach and Tom looked at each other for another ten seconds. Then they agreed silently to drop the subject (neither of them was very satisfied with the result though).

Dr. Cockroach turned to the opening again, trying to concentrate on the task. He switched the walkie talkie to the right frequency and checked it with the one Zach would use. It worked.

„All right." he said and looked at Joon. „Are you ready?"

She just nodded. Her gaze wandered over to her brother. Benny didn´t say anything. He just lowered his gaze, accepting that he had nothing to say in this matter. Joon turned back to the hole where she and Dr. C were supposte to crawl in. She seemed doubtful.

„Something wrong, my dear?" Dr C asked.

She looked at him hesitating. „I´m not sure if we will fit in there." she said. „Your head is so big."

Dr. Cockroach blinked in surprise about this statement. That was the last thing he had expected to hear and he certainly had never considered that himself. Now that she had said it, he had to admit that the hole truly was not that big. But it was not too small either.

„It will do." he assured her. „Don´t worry. If I got stuck, you just go on without me."

Joon stared at him for a second, not sure what to do with that. Then she understood and had to restrain her laughter. Suddenly there was this picture in her head, of the doctor who got stuck inside of that ventilation shaft, because his head was too big to get through. Even though she made it up herself by asking that question it had needed his remark to cause this giggles. It was such an ridiculous idea.

„Can we go now?" he asked and she nodded, still chuckling.

„All right." Zach said and took the walkie talkie from Dr. C. „We wait for your call."

The Doc nodded and then helped Joon to climb into the shaft.

„Joon." Benny called her back and hurried to her. She looked at him over her shoulder, an expression on her face that said: Watch your words, brother. He took a deep breath before he said: „Be careful, sis."

Joon´s face didn´t change. It was as if she hadn´t heard his words at all. Benny lowered his gaze defeated. Just as he was about to turn away, she said: „You too, Benny."

Their gazes met again and even though Joon´s eyes were still warning him not to tell her to stay here were it was safe, he could tell that she was at least ready to forgive him. As long as he would let her do what she was determined to do. He understood that. With Joon he never really had a choice. Only that usually her stubbornness would not bring her in mortal danger. But even that didn´t matter. Not to her. For Joon this whole thing was not different from all the other situations in which she had had it her way.

Knowing that he nodded at her and she mirrored this nod. They at least were back on the same side. Finally she turned around and started to crawl deeper into the shaft. Dr. Cockroach attempted to follow her. One last time, Benny hold him back at his arm.

„Take care of her." he begged.

„I will." Dr. C promised and lay a supporting hand on the boy´s shoulder. Then he climbed into the shaft.

* * *

**I´m running out of ideas what to say at the end. So I just shut it and stick to saying:**

**Thanks for reading.**


	29. Chapter 29 Calls And Complications

**Hey there. Thank god May is over (well almost). What means most of the stupid work I had to do lately and that consumed far too much of my writing time by the way, is behind me now. Let´s celebrate that for a moment. Okay that´s enough. So we´re back for another chapter. Hope you are up for it. **

**Here we go.**

* * *

**Calls and Complications**

They had been crawling for a while now. The shaft looked still the same. The same appearance the same tiny space to get through. But up until now Dr. Cockroach thought amused, it had not happened that he had got stuck. He had knocked his head at the ceiling a couple of times though. It had made a soft pong every time and for some reason Joon had flinched each time, she had heard that. He mused if she was over sensitive about sounds. Maybe this was a part of her illness. He didn´t know too much about mental illnesses. He was a doctor of technology not of medicine. And thinking of that he once more mused if it was such a good thing to have a potential labil person like her with him on a mission like that, that depended the most on being silent and stealth. If she started to cry out because of something that disturbed her, she would give away their position far too easy.

But it was too late for regrets like that. They were here and he would have to watch out for her. He had promised Benny to do so and he would keep that promise. He just hadn´t thought about how difficult this could become. Why had he not? He didn´t know. He had just forgotten.

They reached a crossway that led in four directions from there. Dr. C spotted it when they were still some feet away from it. He tapped Joon´s shoulder and pointed at it so she would think of what direction was the next for them. He opened his mout to ask the question loud as well. But he had barely started to make a sound, when Joon´s hand shot forward and shut his mouth in the process. He opened his big eyes wide, startled by that behavior.

Joon put her finger over her own mouth and shushed with the most serious face one could have. Then she took her hand away from the Doc´s mouth and struggled to get something out of her pocket. Dr. C saw that it was a notepad and a pen. Joon started to write and then showed it to him. It read: _Don´t speak. These shafts carry sound very far. They´ll hear us._

Dr. Cockroach blinked in disbelieve. Not only about the fact that stood on this little sheet of paper. Also about the fact that Joon had considered it and not him. That she had prepared for that after he had thought she could give away their position. But mostly because she hadn´t mentioned that little fact before they went in here. He couldn´t help but scribbled that question down. She gave him a look as if to ask: Really? That is your biggest problem now?

He saw that and flinched. Then he realized something else. The walkie talkie he carried with him was not a device to talk in silence. How were they supposte to talk to Zach and the others if they couldn´t risk being heard? He took the device out of his pocked and looked at it. Joon immediately started to scribble again. She wrote: _We can´t use that. Too loud. _The last two words she had underlined two times.

Dr. C made a gesture with his hand that asked her to give him a second so he could think of something. After the second had passed he knew it. He switched the walkie talkie off so it wouldn´t come to screaming life before he was ready. Then he started to work.

Joon watched him with great interest, her eyes big and shining in this semidarkness of the shaft. She could have asked him with a note what he was doing but she didn´t want to interrupt his flow. So she just waited. She was sure he would do something great and fascinating.

...

Outside of the building someone else was not so patient. As coincidence had wanted it, Zach had tried to reach Dr. C right after he had switched off the walkie talkie. When he got no answer he started to become angry. First at the device because it wouldn´t work properly. Then at Dr. C because he was in there and they were out here without being able to reach them. It was Benny who brought the idea to him that something might be wrong. The boy was worried and this took over to the others and eventually to Zach. What if the aliens had gotten them? Maybe they had taken them to the others. In that case they couldn´t guide them in any more. And that meant that they should – no had to – find their way in on their own. Because in that case they were the only hope for the prisoners. Zach who already had freed a crowd of prisoners today, agreed.

„Who knows this place the best?" he whispered and immediately everybody raised his/her hand.

„Great." Zach said and meant it. „Then we shouldn´t have too many problems finding our way. Which entrance is the most hidden one?"

„The backdoor at the main building." Tom told him.

„Then we´ll go there." Zach decided. „Let´s just hope that it isn´t too heavily watched."

They started to make their way around the building. Zach threw a look at the sky. It slowly started o light up. Dawn was coming. Soon it would become brighter and brighter. The good thing to that would be of course that they would be able to see more of their way. The bad thing would be of course that they could be seen then as well. But if luck was with them they would be already inside of the building by then.

He had already caught glimpses on several windows and there had been light. The aliens obviously had brought the energy back on. He wouldn´t be surprised if they also had installed some of their alien technology in there. In some way he even hoped they had. That stuff would come in handy after they took over the place. Maybe it would even help them to chase those bastards out of the city for good. What a poetic idea to use their own weapons against them. He really liked that thought.

They halted at a corner to check the surroundings. While the kids were looking around, Zach decided to try again to reach the Cockroach over the radio. Who knows. Maybe there was really just some problem in the line that kept him from hearing his call. His tries kept being unsuccessful though. It was as if the other radio didn´t exist anymore. Zach felt himself uncomfortably reminded on some horror films he had watched over the years. The line was always the first thing that was dead. Usually the next thing that happened was a crazy masked murderer appearing behind the next heap of wood, a glistening knife in his raised hand. Zach cursed. Now he had to save the Cockroach too. What a day.

The boy, Tom, gave a signal that the cost was clear and they walked on. No crazy murderer was waiting for them behind the corner. But when they finally reached the back door they found it guarded by five alien clones. Only five one could say. But they were five armed aliens. Armed with weapons they knew how to use. Zach had been able to teach these kids how to aim somewhat properly but if they could stand up in a shootout … he was not so sure. Still they had no choice. Somehow they had to get in there. If the Doc and the girl were still alive they had to find them. He tried one last time to get in contact with them and failed. No answer. No Cockroach. Dammit.

„Okay." he whispered. „Lets do this. You four secure our backs." he said pointing at four boys holding their alien laser canons like baseball bats. „In case there should be more of them that we can´t see or if they should call for help." He turned to Christian and Tom. „You two come with me."

He was about to lead the way when he halted one last time, looking at the group of four boys with their canons. There was an uneasy feeling in his guts when he saw them.

„Try not to shoot each other." he said. They nodded obediently but that didn´t really help to ease Zach´s mind. Though he nodded back at them. „And don´t shoot us either." he added. Then he led the two other boys to the place he considered a better position for shooting. They ducked behind the bushes that grew along the way. Like a nest of snipers he thought. Unprepared and untrained snipers. What a nightmare for every soldier in combat. But again. What choice did he have?

„I will sneak into their backs." he whispered. „Wait until you see me. I will come around somewhere over there. You two take the two aliens at the outsides, no matter which one will be on that position then. Understood?" Chris and Tom nodded. „I take care of the rest of them. Don´t do anything before I do it, unless you have no and I mean absolutely no other option. Got it?"

They nodded again. „Okay." he said. „I start the shooting. You join in. Wait for my signal."

„What is the signal?" Tom whispered.

Zach gave him a look. „The signal is when I start to shoot." he hissed through gritted teeth. God he hated it to work with kids who didn´t listen.

Fortunately this time Tom didn´t argue with him. He just nodded and even had the modesty to look a little embarrassed. Zach patted his back a little harder than necessary to slightly shake the boy so he wouldn´t forget the plan. Then he went around the place, sneaking through the shadows of the bushes until he was opposite the place where the two boys waited. He walked close to the wall of the building, always expecting to get detected every second. Finally he was at the corner and peered around it to the door. He could see the aliens. They were still where they had been before. They still looked as bored as before. Typical guard shift behavior.

Zach looked over to the bushes. He had to search a moment, but then he thought that he had spotted the boys. Or was it just a shadow? Anyway. He was sure they were still there. He couldn´t imagine that they were gone. Why should they? They were only about to fight some freaky creepy aliens with deathly laser canons. For a moment Zach really cursed the fact that they didn´t have a second walkie talkie so he could call them and make sure they were sticking to the plan. But on the other hand, he wouldn´t have been able to call them over radio without giving himself away. He was too close to the aliens.

As if the damn thing had heard him and wanted to play a stupid prank on him, the walkie talkie on his belt came to squeaking life, making one hell of a noise. Zach jumped and turned the volume down but the aliens had jumped as well. Within five seconds they had located the origin of that unexpected sound and started to head for it. Zach cursed and jumped behind a bush that grew close to the wall. He rolled himself off and came back to a standing position right on the other side of the bush. The first two aliens had just reached the corner. Zach shot at them.

He got them both with one shot. The third alien shot back at him. He could barely duck down again to roll further from his position. For a second he even felt the heat rushing over his neck. Then he was rolling again. From somewhere he heard more shots and then screaming aliens. He could smell burning wood and smothering … what? Aliens? He didn´t want to think about it. He came back to his feet and faced the last alien that was just spinning around to him a puzzled yet angry look on its face. Zach shot. After that everything was silent again. It should be silent, since no one shot any more and there were no sources of sound any where. So why were his ears ringing? In his chest his heart was pounding violently.

„Dammit!" he cursed and took the walkie talkie in his hand. Tom and Chris arrived at the corner, when he asked the device in his hand: „What the hell was that supposte to mean?"

The two boys halted in confusion. Zach didn´t even pay attention. He was trying to figure out what his radio was doing … and why. There was only white noise coming out of it and after a moment the noise decreased. Zach took the radio to his mouth and pushed the speaker button.

„If that is you bug-head, I hope you realize that you almost got me killed a minute ago." he barked.

...

In the shaft Dr. Cockroach had finished his changing of the walkie talkie. It was now extended about a couple of wires which went to an improved earwig. He had put it in his ear so he would be able to hear what Zach was saying without the sound of his voice running along the ventilation system. All the noise the walkie talkie would make from now on, would go directly into this earwig and wouldn´t be heard from the outside. Joon had seemed very excited by the idea and still did.

Now that Dr. Cockroach heard Zach´s voice, he was more than glad that he had had that idea, though he wished he hadn´t put the earwig that deep into his ear. Or at least that it had a volume regulator. Because Zach wasn´t just answering. He was yelling. Together with the shrieking sound of the white noise that reminded a little on a bad tuning sound, it shrilled into his ear painfully. The moment Zach started to yell his answer (his volume would have been able to compete with Monger), Dr. Cockroach flinched and took the earwig out as fast as he could. At least ten seconds he had a whistling sound in his head. Joon looked at him with a confused frown.

...

Outside Zach was still angry. Why the hell did this Cockroach not answer him? He didn´t even seem to think it necessary to apologize. Was that it? Eventually he noticed that there was a sound coming over the white noise. A tapping sound. Goddammit. He wanted to be damned if that bug didn´t try to communicate via morse code. Why that? Was his speaker damaged?

What is it?" Tom wanted to know.

Zach shushed him and hold the walkie talkie closer to his ear. He listened to it for a while, trying to understand what the Doc was saying. When he finally understood he knew nothing else to say then: „Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Tom and Chris exchanged a uncertain glance. Neither of them had the slightest idea what Zach was cursing about this time. Slowly they came to the conclusion that this guy was a little out of order.

...

The panel gloomed. Several buttons which only waited for someone to push them so they could fulfil their task. The screen was glowing as well. A dim shady light in a so far dark room. It could have been neat if the circumstances hadn´t been that unpleasant. Not even a hot drink was available to smooth the angry nerves a little. This definitely had to be the first thing to change as soon as everything else was accomplished.

Gallaxhessa bowed over the panel with a snarl. The very first thing she had to do was something more serious though. She pushed a few buttons and activated the screen. A beautiful face appeared on it. Maybe the most beautiful face in the universe. Of course. It was build cell by cell after hers. She always enjoyed it to talk to herself in a way like that. Always a nice start for a new day. Especially when one considered the fact that she intended to conquer this planet on that day. One day earth would be crowded with her. A new world for her species. And she would rule it. She would do what Gallaxhar hadn´t been able to. She would succeed where he had failed. Then he would see … or would have seen. Flagnot. This slimy bastard wasn´t even able to give her the satisfaction to tell him `I told you so´. But that was typical for him. Sneaking away before it got too serious.

Gallaxhessa calmed herself down. Maybe she couldn´t make him pay anymore. But she could make the others pay. The creatures who stole the victory from him and her. The creatures that were responsible for her husband´s death and therefor also for her not being able to tell him `I told you so´, what was even worse. In some way they had done to him what she had planned to do herself. (Embarrassing him not the killing him part) But she was far from being grateful for that. She had been supposte to be the one to tell him `I told you so´. Not them. She couldn´t let them get away with that.

Besides. This planet was the perfect place to finally do what had been overdue for so long. Her own planet. A planet to rule, to control, to build a new life for herself and her species. That was a part of her revenge on Gallaxhar too. The day he had destroyed their home planet, she had sworn to make him pay for that and to rebuild what he had destroyed. There were still some others spread around the galaxy. Wandering. Searching. Lost in space.

As soon as she would be done down here, she would send a signal up to them that they would find a place here to settle down. Under her care this planet would become a better place. Better than her species had ever known since this idiot Gallaxhar had blown up their home planet. She would be their savior, their queen. The humans would serve them. Gallaxhessa never intended to kill them all. Only half of them, tops. They had ruled this world for a while after all. They had knowledge about this planet that she hadn´t. And honestly she liked some of their architecture. Yes, some of them would be useful to her and her kind.

But some of them were also very troubling her. Who would have guessed that they would be so stubborn and really try to fight her instead of just surrendering? That was close to insanity considering the fact that she was so much more advanced than they were. But they did fight her anyway. She had to take care of them first. And of the carier of course. Now that her ship was gone, she would need the Quantonium more than ever. Without it her robots would cease to function soon. She had to hurry. But no worry. She knew exactly how to get to her. If everything went right, things would be set already. For a moment she wished her crock-dog here to celebrate with him. But the poor thing was gone too. She had never noticed before how much she was used to his presence.

„Hail, Gallaxhessa." the beautiful clone on the screen cried.

„Do you have him?" Gallaxhessa asked.

„Yes, Gallaxhessa." the beautiful clone answered proudly.

She turned around and revealed her prisoner. The fish-ape was bound to a chair, struggling with the rope. Two other clones were guarding him. When he saw her on the screen his eyes went small with anger. Gallaxhessa just smiled at this.

„Very good." she said. „Keep him save. I will let the carier know about her friend´s unfortunate faith. Soon the Quantonium will be mine."

The fish-ape´s eyes went wide when he realized what she had in mind with him.

„Hail Gallaxhessa." the clone cried and then the screen went blank again.

A second later a signal told Gallaxhessa that her other plan was about to fulfil itself. She changed the screen again and looked out. The woods and fields around her were still dark. But in the distance she could see some big moving figures. Her robots. Always reliable. She pushed a button and the four red eyes of the robot she was in, started to illuminate the fields around her. Something moved ahead of her. Something that was sneaking there, hidden between bushes.

Gallaxhessa became angry. Not again, she thought. These creatures sneaked upon her ship. They wouldn´t trick her again. With a tentacle that was balled to a fist she hit a button and a red laser shot down to earth, leaving a big burned hole in the wood, where she had seen the sneaking human. Gallaxhessa smiled. But then the figure she had seen rushed away back into the darkness. Now that she had seen it a second time and in the light of her illumination, she also realized that it hadn´t been a human at all. Just some fuzzy animal with a long tail.

It didn´t matter though. Her robots were here now. They had needed some time to come here after she had called them but now the waiting was over. Immediately she ordered them to start with their work and the big machines did as she said. Their huge tentacles moved up and down, red lasers opened and closed metal, melting it together and creating a complete new shape. The progress they made was promising. Gallaxhessa was pleased. Soon her robot would be ready. Ready to strike and to get the Quantonium she needed so badly, back from the human carier. Soon.

* * *

**Well you heard it. Soon. Next week maybe? Maybe not. We´ll see.**

**Bye for now. And thanks for reading.**


	30. Chapter 30 Ghosts

**Hey there. ****I just noticed that we reached our 30th chapter. What a number. And again a reason for celebration, don´t you think?**

**Claws: Zachy? Really? Come on, girl. The man is a soldier. I´m not sure if it is appropriate to call him that way.**

**Suewe: Believe me there is nothing wrong with you when you can get that deep into a story by reading it. I´m just glad that I can still write that catching even if I´m in a hurry. Thanks for reassuring me. **

**And talking about that. Here we go again.**

* * *

**Ghosts**

The park was quiet. So far. Above the sky had turned to a dark violet. Soon it would start to turn red later orange and finally it would be bright enough to call it a new day. Roughly calculated they had maybe one more hour of darkness to hide in it. After that they would be open to an attack, almost like sitting on the famous silver plate. But on the other hand … didn´t they already sit on that plate? The boys had secured the door but so far Zach had not dared to enter the building. Not without knowing what the Cockroach had to say. So he listened to the tapping sounds that came out of his walkie talkie, already rubbing his forehead in frustration, when his patience was tested in such a mean way. Had this Cockroach even the slightest idea what he was doing? He had just finished his last tapped sentence, when Zach´s temper broke free once again.

„I know exactly where I am." he cried into his radio. „Don´t tell me, okay? Don´t tell me. I´m a Marine. We know how to orientate."

„What did he say?" Tom asked confused.

„He just told me that we are at the wrong entrance." Zach informed the boy and to underline how ridiculous it was, he added a small laugh at the end. „Can you imagine that?" He took the radio again and spoke into it. „Tell me about it, bug-head. Guess what. I noticed that we entered on a different place than we were supposte to. But we HAD to change the plan, when YOU suddenly were not reachable anymore. And don´t you dare to interrupt me when I´m talking." (the tapping had started again) „What?" Zach asked and listened. When he understood the meaning he couldn´t help but grinned ironically, nodding in an I-knew-it way. „Yeah, you know what? I don´t care. We just burst open this door and we can´t afford to wait any longer. If we don´t go in there now, we might loose our only chance to enter the perimeter. So if you don´t mind …"

„We have a problem!" someone cried behind him.

„What?" Zach asked annoyed.

Two boys and a girl came running out of the doorway – they were the three kids Zach had ordered to secure the door – and right behind them there came lasers shooting out of the building. One of them hit a tree and knocked it right over. Zach and Tom flinched when it hit the ground. The others screamed.

„Hold the line." Zach yelled into his radio and jumped up, dropping the walkie talkie to the ground and taking his gun up instead. With two jumps he was at the nearest bush, falling to his knees to take cover behind it. When the aliens appeared at the door, he shot. The first one flew backwards right away. The second one was alarmed and jumped back to take cover behind the wall. Zach waited. Finally it peeked around the corner to see where the humans were. Zach shot it.

After that the others seemed to have decided that they wouldn´t wait any longer because now a whole bunch of them left the doorway and came at them. Zach shot again but he had to take cover when the aliens shot as well. He rolled himself over to the next bush and kept shooting when he came to his feet again. He hit two aliens and then rolled again when the others answered his shooting with their lasers. This time he miscalculated his roll a little bit and his back bumped into the currently fallen tree that suddenly was in his way. He cried out in pain and fell to the ground. He could hear the evil laughter of the aliens that were sure to get him easily now that he was on the ground.

Zach grabbed his gun tighter. When he was supposte to go down that way he would take some of them with him. The first alien appeared in his field of vision. It came jumping over the treetrunk. Zach aimed at it but in this moment it already got shot. It flew away with a surprised scream and left only a smoking track in the air. Zach flinched. What the hell? But then he realized that it had had to be one of the kids. Thanks God that he had taught them to shoot. At least something.

He heard some more shooting and struggled himself into a sitting position so he could look over the tree. An alien was standing right in front of him, its back exposed to him. Zach flinched nevertheless at the unexpected closeness of the enemy. He cried out, instinctively threw himself backwards to the ground and pulled the trigger. The alien never knew what hit it.

After that it was quiet again. Zach jumped back to his feet and looked around. The kids were standing around, pale and breathing heavily. But they were alive. The aliens were not. As it seemed they had gotten all of them. For now. Zach rushed over to the place where he had dropped his walkie talkie.

„What the bloody hell was that?" he asked while he picked up the little hand radio. „How could they know we were here?"

Tom, Benny and some of the others just shrugged and looked at each other helpless. Zach exhaled and gave them a nod. „Good shooting, by the way." he said and then pushed the speaker button of the radio. „Hey C.R. can you hear me?" he said. „Come on Cockroach, I know you are there."

Some tapping answered his call. The Doc asked him what happened and he explained it.

„We just had a shootout with our hosts. Messy stuff. But no one was hurt so far. I have just one question. How could they know we were here? Could you explain that to me, genius?"

He got some tapping and lost his patience once again. „Of course they knew." he cried. „They didn´t just happen to stroll by this place by coincidence. That was a military attacking formation. They KNEW we were here. They have to have some sort of …"

He hesitated when something made a sudden klick in his head. Of course, he thought to himself. That was the only logical explanation. The tapping had just started again, when he just went on talking.

„C.R. Listen up." he cried excited, totally ignoring the Doc´s try to say something. „I know it." he told him. „They must have access to the university´s surveillance system. Got it? Means cameras, loudspeaker and everything. Maybe they also installed some of their own stuff. I´m sure they did. That way they knew we were waiting here."

He looked around, checking the surroundings.

„We can´t stay here." he told the Doc. „If we do they will come and get us sooner or later. I move the team to another location. Confirm."

He got some tapping for confirmation.

„All right. Listen. We need to get access to that system. Understood? So what you need to do: You must go and look for it. You must get it under your control, hack into it and guide us in through it. Understood?"

New tapping came over the radio. Zach listend and almost forgot to breath for a moment.

„Of course I´m sure I didn´t hit my head." he cried offended. „Are you trying to say, that you can´t make this happen? That you are unable to hack this alien system, DOCTOR?"

He listened and for a while there was pure silence. A mischievous smile spread across Zach´s face. He knew he had him. No technician that was proud of his abilities would take an offence like that. Finally he got the answer. Exactly the one he had expected.

...

The city looked awful from above. Even worse than it had looked from beneath. Everywhere buildings were smoking or had holes in their walls. Some were even smashed completely. The most painful sight was that of the capitol. It had a hole in its dome as well. Why were it always the main buildings, the symbols of the major cities that had to go down? In every film that had an alien attack or something similar in its plot, it were those buildings that got smashed first. For the first time Hollywood had been right about their portrayal. But knowing this didn´t help to cope with that view.

When the sun rose this morning, Eddy Cockrane had believed that the dawning of a new day would be a good sign and that everything would become better now. But with the light the reveal had come as well and right now Eddy wasn´t so sure if he liked that kind of truth he was forced to see.

Maybe it was because America had never known a war that took place within their own borders since the civil war over one hundred and fifty years ago. Maybe it was because the sight of an American city lying all smashed right in front of their eyes was so uncommon and so unbelievable. Yes, they had fought in many wars over the years. God knew they had. Men had fought in these wars and they had died in them. Eddy had been in Afghanistan and in Iraq. He had also been in Bosnia once. After the war but Bosnia was Bosnia. He had seen sculptures of saints and angles there, who´s faces were half gone because the bombs had blown them away. He had seen the streets in which there had been fights for days and nights only some years ago.

He knew all those things. He knew how they looked like and how it felt to be there. But all these things had been abroad. In other countries, on other continents, on the other end of the world. This time it was his own country, his home town that lay smashed in front of him. These streets were his streets and it felt different to see them in this light than it had felt to see strange streets in strange countries in the exact same condition. It felt like being in hell. Like he had gone to sleep yesterday, knowing that everything was all right and would be all right forever and when he had woken up the next morning he had had to learn that everything he had ever believed about it being all right, was just a dream. An illusion. It wasn´t all right any more. Hell no. And the way it looked from up here, on the roof of this building he and Perez had climbed to have a better look, it didn´t look like it would be all right ever again.

Suddenly Eddy understood why the Major had felt so down some hours ago, after this robot had destroyed their tank. A man truly could loose his faith when he was confronted with something like that. Eddy´s brother lived in the city. He was worried about him of course. Everybody who had friends and relatives in Washington was worried. But Eddy´s brother was a grown man. Stanton´s kid was only a baby and his wife was on her own. Or wasn´t she? Maybe she was with someone, who helped her. Maybe his brother was with someone too. Eddy decided that there was a good chance that they were. It helped to think that way. Think positive. Believe in a chance. Then there will be a tomorrow.

„I found the FBI-building." Perez told him.

Eddy was dragged out of his thoughts and he was grateful for that. A little longer and he would have been back on the negative track. And that was something he couldn´t afford right now. Not if he wanted to be of any use for his comrades.

„Are you sure?" he asked more eager than it would have been necessary. In this moment he would have jumped if Perez had told him that he had spotted a cat in the streets. Everything was welcome as long as it distracted him from his melancholy thoughts.

„Yeah Eds, I´m sure." Perez said. „The big sign that reads FBI headquarter is a pretty good clue. But I could be wrong anyway. You want to double-check?"

„Smart ass." Eddy groaned but took the ocular from him anyway. Again. He needed to occupy himself. He shifted himself into a better position. His leg still hurt even with the painkillers he had gotten. Perez had teased him with that already, had told him how long he had had to bear the pain without medics. But Eddy didn´t care. He had the damn drugs so he took them. And it wasn´t as if Al hadn´t taken some himself as soon as he had had the chance anyway.

He looked through the ocular. First he had to search but with some directions from Perez he found the building. It was right in the centre of the city and it would be some way for the Boss, Stanton and the others to get there. They had left about ten or fifteen minutes ago. Eddy looked for them and finally found them in the streets ahead. They had only left the neighbourhood so far. Now Perez took the walkie talkie and called them.

„We can still see you, over." he said.

„Over." answered Stanton´s voice. „What about the surroundings?"

„Still clear." Perez told him. „The remaining two robots are on the other ends of the city. One north of you the other one north-east. At the moment they don´t seem to be a threat. We also spotted the target. It seems to be quiet over there."

„Ten-four." Stanton affirmed. Then after a moment, he asked. „Could you repeat the status of the robots?"

„Repeat. One robot is north of you. One north-east. They seem to be no threat to you now. I repeat. They seem to be no threat."

„There are only two robots left?" Stanton asked again. „Are you sure about that?"

„What is it, that everybody doubts my observation skills today?" Perez asked without pressing the speaker button. After he had rolled his eyes, he answered to the Major´s question with a: „Positiv. There are two remaining robots in the city. Over."

...

„That doesn´t make any sense." Stanton mumbled confused also without pressing the speaker button of his walkie talkie.

„What do you mean?" Bryce wanted to know.

„There were four robots in the city, Boss." Stanton explained. „You destroyed one. Means there should be three more. If my school math is still correct."

„Is it possible that another group managed to destroy one?" Bryce offered an explanation but even by asking that question he sounded more doubtful than convinced. Stanton couldn´t give him an answer to that. He just shook his head thoughtfully.

„I don´t like that." he said. „I don´t know why. It … Something is wrong with that."

He looked at his Boss still shaking his head in an helpless manner, but Bryce just nodded. He seemed to trust the Major´s instincts.

„All right." he said. Then he looked over the streets, trying to think himself. „Lets assume the aliens are up to something." he said. „Maybe they know we are here."

„Its reasonable to assume that." Stanton agreed. „We destroyed one of their robots."

Bryce nodded, still looking into the distance. At last he turned to Monger and asked him: „What do you think, Warren? Should we send out Ghosts?"

Monger looked over the street the way Bryce had done it before. It was as if the two officers could see something over there, what all the others were incapable of. Monger´s eyes swept the street and some of the buildings. He turned around and did the same thing with the area behind them. When he looked at his friend again, he nodded.

„All right." Bryce just said. Whatever they had been talking about, the decision was made. Bryce turned to the men, who had been waiting during their chat. It was a group of exactly thirty-two men and women, not counting the blue monster and Ginormica. Bryce pointed at the first line of them.

„You seven." he said. „Spread out and secure the perimeter. Follow us stealth and hidden. You know the drill. Go, go. Become ghosts."

The men nodded and immediately went away in small groups, heading for different spots all around and eventually vanished in alleys, doors or as it seemed just a shadow. After they were gone it was as if they had never been there in the first place.

„Where are they going?" B.O.B. asked confused.

„They are still there, B.O.B." Monger told him, still looking along the street, where the Marines had just vanished.

B.O.B. looked that way as well, but didn´t understand. „Then why can´t I see them?" he asked. „Are they invisible?"

Monger and Bryce looked at the blue blob and smiled. „Yeah." Monger said. „They are."

B.O.B.´s eye glowed with awe about that. „Wow." he exclaimed impressed.

The two officer´s exchanged a smiling glance and they were not the only ones. When Monger threw the same smirk at Susan, he suddenly frowned. She, confused about this reaction, frowned too.

„What is it?" she asked.

Instead of answering her, he looked at her musing for a moment. It was as if he was wondering who she was or where she had come from. Susan felt a nervous smile appearing on her face. What was that supposte to mean? By now, Bryce had noticed Monger´s behavior too and with him some others. Before Bryce had a chance to ask what was the matter, Monger looked at him. First it seemed as if he wanted to say something to him but then he hesitated. He was still thinking. Finally he spoke up. But it was Susan who he spoke to.

„I think, you should go too." he said.

Susan was even more confused than before. „What?" she asked. „Go where?"

„What are you talking about?" Bryce wanted to know. He seemed as confused as Susan. „Isn´t it a little late for that? The men are already spread."

„There is always room for one more." Monger insisted.

Bryce looked at him for a moment. There was something going on between the two men. An unspoken understanding.

„You are serious about that." Bryce said. It wasn´t a question. „Why?" This was a question.

„I would like to know that too." Susan chipped in. She put her hands at her hips. „If this is the same kind of trick you tried up there on the ship, then …"

„Its nothing like this." Monger interrupted her. „Believe me."

„Then what is it …?"

„I can´t explain it." he said and threw a brief look at Bryce. „I just feel that it would be better if you would join them. If you would become invisible with them. At least for now."

She took her hands down and looked at him for a moment, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

„You expect trouble, don´t you?" she guessed.

He didn´t answer, just nodded. She mirrored his nod. „All right." she finally said.

„You´ll become invisible, too?" B.O.B. who had listened to the whole thing with an open mouth and a big eye, asked astonished.

„She can´t go alone." Bryce pointed out, without paying attention to the naive blue monster. „She doesn´t know the drill."

„I´ll go with her." Stanton offered. „I take care of her."

„Excuse me, Major." she said offended. „I can take care of myself pretty good."

„Excuse ME, Miss Murphy." Stanton replied straight. „You might be stronger than this whole unit together, but you never had a military training. Had you?"

Susan threw a slightly embarrassed side-look at Monger, who looked at her with a knowing grin.

„Not exactly." she answered.

Stanton only nodded. „That´s what I thought."

Then he faced Bryce as if to ask his permission to go. The Admiral nodded. Stanton made an inviting gesture to Susan and then, without another word, led the way. She exchanged a last look with Monger. He smiled assuringly at her, an encouraging look in his eyes. And though she wasn´t fully convinced, she turned around and followed the Major over the street to the next alley. A second later they both were gone.

* * *

**Okay guys. You know the drill. I see you next week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	31. Chapter 31 Ground Control

**Hey there. Before you say it (and I´m sure Claws will) I know this chapter is a little long but I really couldn´t help it. Now that is what I call a flash and I´m glad I came out of it again before it got out of hand. And thats all for introduction today. You´ll have to read enough anyway. So enjoy.**

* * *

**Ground Control**

The city had gotten quieter. The streets were abandoned from civilians and even the soldiers seemed to be more contemplative now. It was as if the whole situation had changed. As if the waiting had also caused an atmosphere of halting. Like the deep breath before the plunge. The Major had heard that phrase in a movie once and it surely fitted the current situation. He couldn´t remember what movie it had been. Some fantasy-stuff he guessed but he couldn´t remember. Was it Dragonheart? No, that wasn´t it. Highlander? No. Damn, he couldn´t remember. And why the hell was that suddenly so important? He should have other things on his mind right now. More important things than the name of a godforsaken film he once saw. Though it could drive a man crazy if he tried to remember something and his brain just refused to cooperate. Had it been Reign of fire? No, dammit. Concentrate. There is an alien invasion going on in this city. You should focus on that, man.

The Major put himself together and tried to think. There were still aliens in this city. Since they had vanished they hadn´t heard of them and the seeking teams had found no trace of where they could have gone. Seemed the kidnappers were playing dead and hiding somewhere. Still, what were they waiting for? He couldn´t tell. His eyes trailed over the street and got lost on the way. Maybe it had been a science fiction film, he mused, not fantasy. Could it be Alien? No. Nothing as poetical as that in these films. What about one of the Godzilla movies? No, that just didn´t fit.

He noticed once again, what he was doing and called himself together. Stop thinking about that crap right now. You have a mission to fulfill, soldier. Only that his mission had been put on hold. The day had started and as it seemed (only seemed) the fighting was over. No enemy was in sight so everybody including his men had time to recover their strength. But once again, as it seemed, this pause didn´t really make them rest. Whoever was not busy with supporting civilians or technicians, was tensed with uncertainty. Just like him. They all knew that something was going to happen. The aliens didn´t take the Link just to disappear and never come back. They were up to something and whatever it was they would hit them by surprise with it, no matter how long they would wait for it to finally happen. They would hit them hard and unprepared.

The final deep breath you take before the plunge. How true. Only that they wouldn´t jump on their own free will. Quiet the contrary. They would be pushed over the edge by force. And he truly doubted that they would have the time to take this final deep breath before it happened. God, if he just could remember where this line came from. Maybe it had been The Stand. Damn that would fit the current situation. You bet it would. Henderson surely felt like being dropped into that story, when he was looking around. The end of mankind. Really fitting, oh yes. But he still didn´t believe that the quote came from that one. Hell, where was it from?

At the edge of his mind he noticed some voiced that had started to talk louder than the others. It wasn´t the muffled sound of hesitation all the others seemed to have adapted lately. As if they were afraid to disturb the atmosphere of anxious waiting. As if the watchers were afraid to miss the famous last lightning before the atomic bomb goes off right in front of their eyes. If we have to go ex by it we at least want to see every detail, so please don´t disturb the show by asking a question. Coughing and hysterical weeping only in muffled volume, please. Thanks for your cooperation.

But these voices were suddenly invading this atmosphere of awe before the nearing apocalypse. It was as if they wouldn´t care at all. As if they hadn´t even noticed that everybody tried to concentrate on the closing in exodus. They truly dared to argue in this moment. About something as ridiculous as survival.

Major Henderson suddenly realized how deep he had already gotten into that state of acceptance himself. What was he doing here, anyway? Waiting for the end to happen? What end? Someone was missing, but did that mean everything was over? This wasn´t the first unclear situation during a battle he experienced. Even if you didn´t know what was gonna happen exactly, there were always things you could do to prepare yourself. At least some eventualities to consider. What had he been thinking? He had wasted precious time by thinking about some movie quote instead of thinking about a strategy against the aliens. Obviously and fortunately someone else seemed to have thought about something. He couldn´t tell from the words of the argument, since he barely understood them. But something in his mind told him, that these men were not arguing about some random stuff. That their argument was indeed about the current problem, he was standing before right now.

He headed for the place the voices came from and when he came closer he recognized the voices. One of them was pretty easy to identify. The man was talking in an thick accent. Novorsky, the Russian technician. And the second one was so stubborn in his tone and everything, that it could only be Carter, their own technician.

„No." he just stated matter of factly, while Novorsky still tried to reason with him about some technical stuff. „No way. I just figured this system out to bring the energy back on. We are lucky it worked. If we touch that now, it might bring everything down again. You wont. Mess. Around in there. Understand?"

„I not wont to make mess in there." Novorsky replied. „I only wont to reeprogrum sum of they … what is word?"

„Well, yeah, thats the same." Carter said. „No. You won´t. Basta."

„What is going on here?" Henderson demanded to know when he had reached the two men. He had found them standing in front of the defeated alien robot, Carter had used to bring the energy back on. Now the technician was standing in front of the entrance to that robot, obviously blocking it so Novorsky couldn´t get in. When Carter saw Henderson he was more than happy.

„Major." he cried. „Would you please tell him to get lost. I know he is not one of our men but would you PLEASE?"

„Would someone tell me whats the matter?" Henderson asked instead.

Novorsky opened his mouth to say something but Carter was faster. „He is causing trouble, thats the matter." he said.

„I not causing trooble." Novorsky objected. „I try to help."

„Ahem? By messing with our system?"

„I olredy said, I won´t bring unorder to your place." Novorsky assured. „What is it with you and the mess? You need everything cleen so you can work? What is the name of that man in televisor? Mr. Monk?"

„What?"

„You acting just like him."

„Listen." Carter cried angry. „Are you trying to kid me?"

„I know you not kid but you acting like one."

Henderson who had listened in silence so far had to laugh about that. Carter looked bewildered at Novorsky and when he saw the Major laughing his confusion increased. He just couldn´t understand that this Russian really tried to tell him what he had to do and even worse that he turned every word he said around and used it against him in such a calm disturbing way. As if he truly was talking to a stubborn child. Carter couldn´t allow this. No one was allowed to talk to him like that. He turned to Henderson to articulate his desperation about all this but Henderson didn´t wait for him to speak up.

„He is right about that." he told Carter with an amused smile. The technicians mouth dropped open even more, then shut itself again with a thudding sound only to open again the next second.

„Major." he cried. „You need to tell him to …"

„What I need is for someone to explain me what all this is about." Henderson replied and when Carter was about to do so, he added: „Someone else."

With that he turned to Novorsky and gave him an asking look. The Russian looked at Carter for a moment to make sure he really could speak without being interrupted again. Then he said: „I had idea to find your missing lizard."

„Link." Henderson corrected without thinking.

„Right." Novorsky agreed slightly confused. „But he is missing."

„Yeah." Henderson said slowly becoming impatient. „And?"

„I bulieve I can find him. But I need to use thos." Novorsky explained pointing at the robot.

„How?"

„Naaa-is complicated." Novorsky said.

„Give me a chance." Henderson demanded. „I´m not as stupid as I look."

„In shorts. I bulieve it can localize the aliens." Novorsky said. He shrugged. „Is their stuff so its only logical to assume …"

„All right." Henderson agreed to stopp an unnecessary long explanation. „How does that help us to find the …" there the musing he had done even while speaking jumped in place and he knew the answer himself. „They will be gathered together in one place." he said.

„And the Link will be there in their midst." Novorsky agreed with a grin about this little bible analogy he had managed. „At least … very likely."

Henderson nodded. Novorsky was right. Even if the chances were low, it was a better plan than to just wait. And even if they wouldn´t find the Link with it, they at least would know where the aliens were. A big advantage in the search for them and a precaution if they should decide to attack.

„Are you sure you can do that?" he asked.

„Pretty sure." Novorsky replied.

That was enough for Henderson. „Do it." he ordered.

„What?" Carter cried. „Major you …"

„Let him in." Henderson silenced the technician. „That´s an order."

Carter shut his mouth showing a very grumbling face. Then with a last stubborn look at Novorsky, he stepped aside.

...

They had heard the clicking sounds long before they had reached the lattice. The aliens voices had been all over the place actually. But on this point they seemed to increase. This and some other signals had been the clue for them to head this direction and to see if it was the place they were looking for. Now that they were here, looking down into the room that once had been a computer cabinet were students used to do their homework and researches, they knew they had been right. Right in the middle of that room, were usually stood some monitors and laptops, there was a big console, probably build out of the former but undoubtedly extended with alien technology. There were consoles with buttons that were obviously designed to be used by alien tentacles and the monitors showed schematics of the building. Glowing and peeping stuff was almost everywhere. Not even the Doc could name them all, not to talk about their means and purpose.

So Zach had been right after all, he thought. They had installed their own technology to survey the university. It was amazing. Just unbelievable how much afford they had put into that. Regarding all that intensity about this building, they could assume that they had more in mind with this facility than just using it as a prison for the captured humans.

Joon touched the Doc´s shoulder to get his attention. He looked at her and followed her pointing finger. There were two aliens standing next to the door. Guards. The Doc nodded. He took the notepad and wrote down: There have to be camera´s in the hallway.

He didn´t need to write down the conclusion of that thought. Joon knew that the aliens didn´t watch what they could control by looking at their monitors. That meant if they would go out into that hallway, they would have some time before the aliens would spot them. Joon seemed to agree because the next thing she did, was pointing at the door again. When Dr. C didn´t get her drift at once she wrote: There is a lock on that door.

So we can keep them out, the Doc mused. But so far there were still a dozen aliens in that room. How were they supposte to lure them out of the room to close the door behind them? The answer to that question that literally attacked the Doc´s mind, was simple. They had to offer them a bait. But would this bait be good enough to get them all to leave the room? The answer to that was as simple as the first one. It had to be.

He thought it over for a moment. Then he touched Joon´s shoulder and wrote down for her what he had in mind. She read it and looked at him as if asking if he was sure, that there was no other way. He squeezed her shoulder for a moment to encourage her. _You can do that. I know you can._

Finally she nodded. He mirrored her nod and then after one last glance down into the room to encourage himself – what was stupid because looking down there was rather disencouraging than the other way around – he turned around and crawled back the way they had come. Joon was left behind with big fearful eyes that looked down at the aliens and big anxious ears that waited for a sound that told her the Doc was successful or worse, caught.

Farther away from her, around the next two corners, Dr. Cockroach had reached the next exit out of the ventilation-shaft. He was now at least two hallways away from the room above which Joon was waiting. As far as he could see it, no alien was in that hallway beneath him. So far. Carefully he opened the lattice and crawled out. He let the exit open without reinstalling the lattice. He would have to get back in very quickly later. So far he only could hope, that the aliens wouldn´t notice the difference.

As silent as he could he crawled along the ceiling, following the hallway until he reached a door. The sign next to it read: Medical Laboratory. Good enough for what he had in mind. At the end of the hall he heard some noises. The aliens were patrolling the place. So far so good. The computer cabinet was perhaps one more hallway over there. Close enough and far enough. Sufficient. He was far from calling it perfect. Nothing in this situation was or could by any chance ever be perfect. But it was sufficient. He crawled down the wall until he was next to the door, opened it and then slipped into the lab. He didn´t close the door behind him. Quiet the contrary, he opened it even more after he was inside. Outside he now heard the voices of the alien patrol. They didn´t sound alarmed yet. But that would change very soon.

He went over to the lab table and looked around. There were Bunsen burners and Erlenmeyer flasks, viols with some chemicals still in them, where students hadn´t been able to finish their experiments. He was reluctant to disturb this state even a bit knowing how painful it was to find a neat place like a laboratory in disorder after keeping it neat for so long. But he had no choice. At least he could avoid to mess with the work table. Instead he turned to a shelf at the next wall, containing some more flasks and other stuff, all of it empty and just waiting to be used. Now he would use them for another kind of task.

Still reluctant but adamantine to do it the same time, he grabbed the side of the shelf and pulled. It fell down ridiculously easy, making him flinch himself over the enormous noise the glas and metallic tools made when the crashed to the floor. Outside he heard voices. Now they were alarmed. You bet they were.

With a thudding heart he crawled up the wall again, hiding right over the door. Beneath him some aliens ran in, their weapons pointing at the shattered shelf. When they saw no one around, they started to whistle to each other. Obviously they expected whoever had smashed the shelf, to be hiding somewhere. Dr. Cockroach watched how they began to spread out to search the lab. That was the moment when he crawled back out into the hallway. Quickly he closed the door behind himself and locked it. From inside the aliens started to yell angrily and thudded against the door, demanding to be let out.

He didn´t waste time to wait until they got the idea to shoot the door open with their laser canons and hurried away. As soon as he was around the corner he heard that they had gotten the idea. The door crashed against the wall and the aliens rushed after him with angry shouts. Dr. Cockroach ran around a corner and immediately jumped at the wall and crawled up to the ceiling. He had just reached it when his pursuers ran around the corner, passing him without looking up. As soon as his heart kept beating again he went on.

His next target was the door on the other end of the hallway. It was an office of some sort. In there he found a big shelf loaded with folders and another ventilation entrance. Quick thinking he changed his plan a bit and opened the shaft before throwing the shelf to the ground. He vanished through the ventilation and closed it behind himself just before the aliens reached the office. Again they were shouting in anger but this time they didn´t search the room but shoot it down with their lasers at once. The hot lasers caused the sprinkler system to activate itself and ten seconds later the whole room and the aliens were wet as a rainforest. The canons in their tentacles reacted badly with the water and send electric shocks into their carriers.

Out in the hallway, Dr. Cockroach came out of the next exit and went on. This time he headed straight into the direction of the computer cabinet. Before actually reaching it, he entered another room. Another lab. Again he turned over a table with some flasks and other vessels on it. He also turned on the Bunsen burners. When the aliens came in they misjudged the little flames for weapon fire and started to shoot at them. The Doc sneaked behind them again. What he did next was a bold decision and afterwards he wasn´t even sure how this crazy idea had managed it to find its way into his mind. He swung himself from the doorframe and kicked the alien closest to him into the back of its head, so it fell to the ground. Before the others even noticed the incident, he grabbed the gun of the fallen and rushed out of the door.

Behind him angry shouting raised again and he immediately knew that they were at his tail. He had never known how fast he could run. He had also never known that he could act so fast without thinking about what he was doing. Zach would have been proud of him. He on the other hand wasn´t so sure. Had he started to loose his mind? What the hell was he thinking? The strangest thing was, that it actually somehow felt good. Before he even knew he was doing it he started to laugh while he was running. A handful of new aliens appeared ahead of him at the corner. First they had aimed at him but when they heard his crazy laughter they hesitated in confusion. The mad scientist aimed at them himself and shoot them with the stolen laser canon, laughing all the way.

When more aliens arrived he realized that he had forgotten to keep moving and immediately saw to it. He ran around a corner and behind him the lasers hit the walls. Close, it shot through his mind. Far too close. He turned around and shot back, without even caring to hit anything. There wasn´t even an alien in sight yet. He just wanted them to know that he was dangerous and that they would have a hard time to get to him. After all, that had been the plan from the beginning. Now the only thing he could do was hoping that he hadn´t conquered that plan himself by changing it too much on the way with his improvisation. But in the next second he realized that he indeed seemed to have done just that. Because he suddenly noticed, that he had no idea where he was and in what direction the computer cabinet lay. Darn, that should have been his target. Instead he had been running around and around in his effort to cause as much trouble as possible, only to get lost in the process.

He cursed and barely a second later he heard the aliens behind him again and kept running. It was true. The only thing he could do was hoping his plan had worked and that he would find a way, to get away from them, before they caught him. Please he begged. Let Joon be more lucky than I am.

And a little more reasonable in her actions.

...

Dr. Cockroach had no way of knowing that, but his prayer was indeed heard. The way his actions had indeed fulfilled their purpose. Even if it had happened in another way than he had intended. Shortly after he had produced the first noise by throwing down the shelf in the lab, the aliens monitoring the computer cabinet had listened up. They had send out some of their own to check out the source of the noise. After that they had started to watch the surveillance system if they could find anything there. And after a while they had spotted the Doc on one of their monitors, how he had crawled along a wall, passing the camera too quickly to see where he went.

They had called their guards over intercom to tell them what to do and then had kept watching what was happening. After the incident in the office, they cursed their own clones for their stupidity. The answer was instantly. The guards were reduced and needed backup. Some of the aliens in the room cursed but then went out to reenforce their stupid guards. Now only three aliens were left in the room.

Joon became more and more anxious. She saw the Doc passing another screen. The aliens saw him too and jumped angrily and called their guards to tell them where to go. Soon after that the shooting began. And it was one hell of a shooting. The screen was filled with the red laser light and then one of them hit the camera and the screen went blank. Joon covered her mouth so she wouldn´t scream. Then she saw the Doc running along another hallway and was released. For a second. Then he started to shoot again. The aliens in the room hissed angrily at this sight.

„He is right outside." one of them noticed and turned to her two left companions. „Sneak into his back and block his way. Finish him."

The two of them nodded and rushed out of the door. Joon´s heart thudded rapidly in her chest. Only one alien left. To hope for this one to leave as well was too much to ask. They wouldn´t let the computer unwatched. Not completely. If she liked it or not, her time was up. She had to make her move now or never. She waited until the alien clone was ducking behind the screen of the computer and fully concentrating on what she saw there. Then she opened the lattice.

Her jump down to the ground was soft and silent. Of course it was. She had put out her shoes. Quickly like a mouse, she sneaked behind the computer, ducking down, so the alien couldn´t see her. Sitting there she could hear the alien curse again, over what it saw on the screens. It was still distracted. Joon looked over to the door. It was still wide open. She had to act fast.

She reached into her pocket and got out some marbles. She always had some on her. She loved to shoot with them. It was her favourite sport. In nine of ten tries she used to hit her target straight to the point. Now she prayed that her next try wouldn´t be this tenth one in the list.

She raised her hand, the marble in position, neatly lying between her first finger and the nail of her thumb. Then she cleared her throat as if to get the attention of a crowd she wanted to speak to. The alien behind the screen raised its head in surprise. Listening. Joon was silent. Waiting. The alien looked around from its position behind the screen. When it couldn´t see anything it turned back to the screen.

Joon coughed again. This time the alien stood up straight. Slowly it went away from the screen to search the room. When it came around the edge, Joon hold her breath. The alien first looked into another direction. Then it turned to her and its four eyes went wide in disbelieve. A second later one of those four eyes was closed, when Joon´s marble went into it. The alien made a high pitching sound of surprise and raised its hands to its face. Then its tentacles swirled around and it fell to the ground where it remained lying completely motionless.

Joon jumped up and ran to the door. She closed and locked it shut. After that she went back to the alien. It was still lying on the ground. Did she kill it? With only one marble? It seemed so. For a moment she had to think about the legend of David and Goliath. A little stone had killed the giant. So why shouldn´t her marble have killed the alien? She tipped the alien with her foot. It didn´t move. She hesitated one more moment. Then she decided that it was safe and went over to the computer. Locking the door was only one part of the plan. The second one would start now. And this one was much more complicated.

She could see the Doc on the screens. He was still running away from the aliens. But he was running into the wrong direction. Why was he doing this? He was supposte to come back here, now that she had closed the doors. But he was running away from this room. The aliens were chasing him. Maybe he couldn´t come back. At least not now. Joon was unsure. Benny and the others were waiting outside. They expected them to guide them in. But how should they do that without having control over the system? The Doc was supposte to hack it but the Doc wasn´t here. But Benny was waiting.

Joon hesitated. Could she dare to try it? She had hacked into the university´s mainframe once already. But this had been the usual human system. This one was more strange. It was a challenge. A big one. Another look at the screens told her that she probably had no choice. The Doc wouldn´t come back any time soon. And Benny and the others were waiting. Her hand went into her pocket touching the marbles that were there for assurance. She took one last deep breath. Then she started to work.

* * *

**Like I say it each time and how I will say it forever.**

**Thanks for reading.**


	32. Chapter 32 Realisations

**Okay girls. Back for another round.**

**Joy: Thank you very much for your last comment. Glad you liked it.**

**Suewe: Interesting thoughts and absolutely right.**

**Claws: A place with no name? Just one word. Wow! Great choice of words and so poetical. Really like it.**

**But enough of the nice words. Lets get back to the point. Here we go.**

* * *

**Realisations**

The sky was cloudy over the fields and woods. Even some thunder was rumbling in the distance. Or was it just the sound of her robots working on each other? Gallaxhessa wasn´t sure. She couldn´t compare these sounds to anything she knew. Weather on her planet had been different. There they had know ionic storms and sometimes cyclons of heavy hot wind, so hot that it almost was like a firestorm. The sounds she had heard back then had been a sizzling and soft crackling. Like electrical noise on a defect cable. Sometimes when it had been very heavy she had been able to feel the tickling in the air. That had been the sensations that had told her and her kind that it was no day for a picnic. Water was something that was generated at her planet. Something only the technicians used to make the machines run. It had been an invention, nothing that was a part of the environment. It never had been. That was the reason why it was so unimaginable for Gallaxhessa now, that water could fall down from the sky. Partly she was scared. It was so strange for her. But the same time she was anxious to see it happen. What would it be like, she wondered? Would it gloom like the ionic storms she had loved so much when she was little? But she didn´t believe so. The air didn´t feel like it should. It wasn´t hot and tickling. It was cool and … what was the word? Wet. It felt wet. That had to be the water that was supposte to fall down soon. Again she felt that strange kind of angst. She wasn´t meant for this environment. It wasn´t hers. And when she heard the quiet thunder again she wished briefly to be back at home where she knew the weather that was coming.

But she wasn´t at home. She would never be again. Her home didn´t exist anymore. Never before it had been so real for her and the feeling what this truth brought with it had never been so strong. Her home was gone. The place of her childhood. The place where she had planned to spend her future in. And all this just because her husband had been reckless. Because he had tried to prove something that wasn´t possible to be proved. The result was prove enough for that. He had been wrong and now their planet and almost their entire kind was gone. In this moment, when the truth of all this came home to her, Gallaxhessa wondered how she had been able not to hate him for this. Sure she had been angry. Disappointed and embarrassed. But she hadn´t been able to hate him. Maybe it was because he had promised her to make it good. To find a new planet for her and the others who had survived. She had not admit it then but now she really thought that she had believed him. She had wanted to believe him. Even though no one else had believed him. That was the reason why the others had abandoned them and tried to find their luck on their own somewhere between the stars. Only that they wouldn´t succeed. There were too less planets that were able to contain their kind. They would wander around forever. Lost in that empty space between the stars.

At least this one thing Gallaxhar had been able to fulfil. He had found a place. He had found this planet. A planet full of life and potential. And even better, a planet on which the source of energy they would need so desperately to rebuild their society, had been located. The Quantonium. It was as if faith had guided him here. Only that the same faith had also led him to his second failure … and his death. Now he was gone too and Gallaxhessa was left behind. Alone. Now she was the one who had to find a way to rebuild their society. Alone. But it didn´t matter. She had to do it and she would do it. And no one, no one would stop her from doing so.

Oh, she was so angry all the sudden. She was angry about Gallaxhar for destroying their planet and for failing to keep his promise. He had never been able to keep his promisses. He always had believed that he could do everything, had never seen his own limits. Such an idiot. Did he really believed there was nothing he couldn´t do? Idiot. Now he was dead. Finally he had had to face the one thing he hadn´t been able to do. Idiot. Oh, she could strangle him. She so wished he was here so she could kill him for his stupidity.

She also was angry about the humans who had killed him. They had not only prevented him from keeping his promise. They had also prevented her from lecturing him at the end. They were the reason why she was not able to let him feel how angry she was. They were the reason why she was so angry in the first place. They had destroyed her ship and they were still trying to stop her from doing what she had to do. They were the reason why she was not only angry but upset. She hated it to be upset.

Another thunder rumbled in the distance and this time she joined in with her own growling that came from deep within her throat. This planet was the last hope for her and her kind to survive total extermination. These two legged creatures would not stop her from taking it. And if they really wanted to fight, she would give them a fight.

The beeping sound from within her robot was almost lost in the noise of the wind that was blowing around her ears. But only almost. When she realized what it meant she rushed back inside and pushed a line of buttons to see what it was. The screen showed her that something was going on with one of her robots. None of them that were close to her though. It was a robot that was rather far away from her. In fact it was one that was in the place where she had set up her plan to get the Quantonium back. Where her clones were holding captive the green monster. Something was wrong with the signal she now received. That was not what her robots were supposte to do. Not even when they regenerated themselves after being damaged. She pushed some more buttons to have a closer look. What the flagnot was going on with that system? It almost looked as if … and then she saw it. These damn creatures. They truly tried to hack into her system. Again. Hadn´t they done enough to her system already? Had they really to do it a second time? After some searching she found that they not only tried to hack in to do more damage. It seemed as if they tried to use the technology. Were they out of their minds? That was her stuff.

The screen showed her the database of that robot. The way the humans took to gain access to its system. They tried to reach the localisation function. In that moment she knew what they tried to do. First she was shocked. Then she became angry again. They did it again. They again tried to hinder her. But not this time. Immediately she opened a channel to her clones in that city.

...

„Hey!" he tried again. „You mind talking to me?"

The clone only looked at him grimly and then turned around again. It was no use. They were not allowed to talk to him so they wouldn´t do it. He could yell at them until he went blue and they wouldn´t listen. It was frustrating. How the hell was he supposte to talk his way out of here if no one was listening? Maybe he should try to play sick. It always worked in the movies.

He was just about to do so, when a beeping sound distracted him in his method acting. One of the aliens rushed over to a table, where they had stored their stuff. One these things was something that looked like a dish that was lying face down. Only that it had all kinds of colored buttons on it. The alien was pushing one of these buttons now and a second later a projection of another alien head appeared. Gallaxhessa. Now Link recognized the devise. They had used it already after they had brought him here. At this point he hadn´t payed attention to where the projection had come from. What it had said had been much more interesting then. And shocking. They planned to use him as a bait to make Susan turning herself over. When he had heard that he almost had lost all the color from his scales. He had messed up a lot in his life but this time he´d messed up big deal. How had all this happened? He couldn´t remember. It all had happened so fast.

„Clones." Gallaxhessa´s projection now cried. „The humans try to localize your position. They are using our own technology to do so."  
When he heard that Link felt an absurd kind of pride in his chest. They were coming after him. They hadn´t given him up.

„They will know where you are very soon." the Gallaxhessa projection went on. „You need to prepare yourself."

„What you want us to do?" the clone asked.

„Remain where you are." Gallaxhessa ordered. „But take the prisoner someplace else. Two or three of you escort him there and hide. The rest of you stay there and wait for the humans to come to you. They will think the Link is still with you."

Link began to pull at his ropes again. She wanted to lure them into a trap. They would come to free him and instead they would get shot by these slimy things. If he just could tear apart these damn ropes. But still. What would he do then? There were at least thirty alien clones in this appartement and the rest of the building. And Gallaxhessa wasn´t even really here.

„Let them think they tricked us by using our technology." she now said. „And when they come to you … kill them."

„You crazy chick." Link cried out in anger and frustration and pulled the ropes harder. Still with no effect.

Gallaxhessa´s reflection turned in his direction with an almost bored look. „Let me talk to him." she demanded.

One of her clones picked the little device up and carried it over to Link, so he was face to face with the projection. He stared at her in anger and she stared at him with a coldness that he could almost feel. God, she hated him, didn´t she? But he could only return that feeling.

„Yes?" she asked. „You wanted to say something?"

He needed two more deep breaths before he could bring himself to answer.

„Your plan is never gonna work." he said. „You think you can trade me for the Quantonium? Forget it. They will never do that. I´m not worth that much." For a second he couldn´t believe himself that he had just said that.

„If that is so, maybe I should just kill you." Gallaxhessa suggested. One of her clones immediately aimed its weapon at Link and she cried an annoyed: „No! I was talking to _him_ not to you!"

She turned back to Link. „But the offer still stands." she said coldly. „Shell I give the order?"

He stared back at her. She was trying to test him. She wanted to know if he had told the truth when he said, her plan wouldn´t work. That Susan would never take herself over just to save his life. He mustn´t let this alien know that he didn´t know himself if the plan would work or not. Maybe Susan would do it, maybe not. He made himself think in the terms Monger would think in. She was carrying the Quantonium. Turning her over would mean turning over the only thing this alien would need to conquer earth. They wouldn´t allow that. They couldn´t. Gallaxhessa had asked him if she should order to kill him because she wanted to know if he expected to be saved.

„Maybe you should." he said therefor and was surprised how steady his voice had been by saying these words.

Again the clone aimed its gun at him and again Gallaxhessa called it back with an annoyed: „NOT YET! Are you getting your orders from him now?" Her clones flinched at this and looked uncomfortable at each other.

„It doesn´t matter what you do to me." Link went on. „You´ll never get the Quantonium. Your friend already tried and he failed. Man, didn´t you learn anything from that?"

„My husband died because he didn´t know how to do things right." she hissed in anger. „I´ll finish what he started and you won´t stop me. This planet will be mine."

„For what reason?" Link cried out completely unaware that he had raised his voice in frustration. „What can you possibly want with this planet? I mean … I don´t get it. Is that some women´s stuff? Or is it just common sense for your species to destroy other peoples planets?"

„You have no idea what it means when your planet was destroyed." she shot back at him. Now her coldness was gone and replaced by a sudden hot anger, that made him blink in surprise. He had expected every kind of reply but not this. „You don´t know what it means to be the only one left of your kind." she said.

„Are you kidding me?" he asked. „I don´t know what?"

„Your kind is ruling this planet." she said, still angry. „You don´t need to worry about their future."

„My kind is gone." Link told her, leaning forward in defence. „I _am_ the last one. And for the last fifty years I was imprisoned because of what I am. Don´t you tell me that I would rule this world, lady. Cause I don´t. I´m not a part of this society. Neither are my friends. That´s the way it is."

For a moment Gallaxhessa was stunned. Her four eyes were blinking simultaneously. She was thinking.

„Then … why do you protect it?" she asked. „Why do you help humans? You and your friends risked your lives fighting for them."

First Link didn´t know how to answer that question. He surely had not expected this talk to take such a turn. Again he had no idea how things had happened so fast.

„This is still my planet." he finally said. „And to be honest, I don´t care why you want it so badly. You can´t have it. Message complete."

Gallaxhessa just looked at him. For a few moments there was this coldness in her eyes again. But there was also something else. Something that was new. She looked contemplative. Just a little but it was there. Eventually she turned to her clone again.

„Get ready." she ordered calmly. „Bring him away and prepare yourself for the arrival of the humans."

The clones cried their usual Yes Gallaxhessa and then she looked at Link one last time. A tiny smile was on her lips. „Lets see who will be right at the end." she said. He didn´t answer but she hadn´t expected him to do so anyway. Her smile increased a little. At least she had had the last word. Then she switched off the channel. There was no sense in continuing this talk.

After the screen had went blank it was silent in the robot. Gallaxhessa´s thoughts began to wander without her being able to stop it. The monsters were not part of earths society. But they fought along with humans. This didn´t make any sense, did it?

Another beeping from her console interrupted her thoughts. She looked at the source and activated the next report, that had dropped in. There was another attack at her system. This one was happening on a place called Massachusetts. What was that? A new trend? These humans seemed to conspire against her. You wait for it, she thought. Not this way. Not with her.

...

In the computer cabinet Joon was busy working herself through the firewall of the aliens system. It was as hard and complicated as she had expected. Every time she believed she had managed one barricade there seemed to pop up another one. Like a roman defence line. Strong armour and broad shields. And she was just armed with a savage club.

Why was she alone on this? Where was the Doc? She started to despair. She was in here far too long already. Benny and the others were waiting and she just couldn´t call and tell them that she finally succeeded. Oh, but she wanted to tell them that she succeeded. Nut only because she wanted that Benny was proud of her. They were in danger as long as they were out there. The longer they waited the higher the risk that they would get caught. Or worse. Joon didn´t want to think about the other possibilities.

Something changed in front of her. Something popped up but this time it wasn´t a blockade. For a moment she dared to hope that she had made some progress. That she finally had entered a part of that system that was less secured. But then she realized that it was an incoming call, that was seen there. Her heart skipped a beat. Oh, no. The aliens tried to come to her. They knew what she was doing and now they tried to stop her. Not that she hadn´t known that they would try that anyway sooner or later, but this incoming call was frightening nevertheless. She felt as if every warmth had lost her body and her feet were melted to the ground. She just couldn´t move. The blinking on the screen in front of her that talked about the incoming call, that waited to be answered, was like the bright headlights that caused the dear on the streets to stand still, frozen until the car ran it over. The only thing she could think was: No, please god, no. No. No.

Her thoughts almost came in the same rhythm as the blinking. Blink – No. Blink – No. Blink – No. And with every No her panic increased. Soon they would know that no one was answering and then … yeah what then? She didn´t know but it would be devastating. What was she supposte to do? She couldn´t think. Her brain was locked on that steady blinking, while inside of her something was building up that was racing like a mad hamster with hydrophobia.

She knew that hamster. It always started to race like that when she was confronted with a situation that was unfamiliar to her. Something that was out of her usually known order. Sometimes it was enough to have a wrong made breakfast to make the hamster race. But over the course of the last few years and with the help of Dr. Manny and some medications she had been able to contain that hamster. At least better than she had been able to when she was ten years old. For a while she had thought it was completely gone. That she was free of it. But now it was back and it wanted out of its cage. It wanted to make her mad again. As mad as it was itself.

Joon was scared. She was scared of that hamster even more than she was scared of that blinking in front of her. She could feel how it came closer, how it raced faster and faster inside of her chest. She could feel it in her breath, that started to hurt her throat. She could feel it in her heartbeat that was much too fast and slowly made her feel dizzy. Dr. Manny had told her to breath slowly and count down from hundred. But the way she felt now she better started with thousand.

And so she did. She took deep but slowly breaths and started to count. One thousand. Nine hundred and ninety-nine, Nine hundred and ninety-eight, Nine hundred and ninety-seven. The blinking was still there. No change. But the hamster seemed to react to her smoothing. Nine hundred and ninety- six, Nine hundred and ninety-five. She breathed, she counted. Slowly her head started to clear a little. Her feet were still fixed to the ground and her legs started to feel rubbery. But even that was a start into the right direction. At least now her legs relaxed. Before they had felt like iron bars or stone pillars. Now she felt that she was a human being again, that could move its muscles. Stop being a pillar. Become a human again. Nine hundred and ninety-four.

A sound made her halt and listen. It had come from over there where the dead alien lay, she had shot with her marble. Immediately she could move again. She was on the ground, pressing her back against the computer console faster than she could remember rushing there. She listened, her eyes wide in anxiety. Was the alien still alive? Of course it was. She had heard it moving. She peeked around the corner to where it lay on the ground and saw her fears confirmed. The thing moved. It touched its head and shook it like someone that woke up after sleeping over his drunkenness. Three of its eyes opened slowly. The forth one remained shut. It was swollen from Joons hit. The other three made the alien look dizzy. Then it spotted Joon and it looked dizzy and confused.

„Who are _you_?" it asked.

Joon´s stiffness that had started to come over her again, went away with the surprise. The alien had started to talk and with that it had become more than just a threatening frightening beast that could possibly kill her. Now it had a voice. And it was actually a really nice voice.

„I´m Joon." she answered.

Now the alien seemed to understand what was going on. „You are one of the prisoners." it said. No. Not it. She. It was a girl. They all were girls.

„I´m not." Joon objected almost offended.

The alien-girl gave her a confused not understanding face. „What?" she asked.

„I´m no prisoner." Joon repeated. „I´m only Joon."

„But you are human." the alien-girl argued. „You have to be a prisoner."

„That´s not true."

„Why not?"

„Because the one doesn´t predict the other." Joon said.

The alien-girl didn´t understand. „What?" she asked.

„Just because I´m human doesn´t mean I have to be a prisoner." Joon explained. „Humans are meant to be free."

Now the alien-girl shook her head. „Gallaxhessa ordered all humans to be imprisoned." she said and finally stood up.

Joon reacted instinctively, the way she had talked instinctively. She reached into her pocked and got one of her marbles out. The alien-girl had just started to head for her to grab her, when Joon aimed at her with this marble. The alien-girl flinched at the very sight of that weapon, she had already experienced, and raised both hands in defence.

„Wow, calm down." she told Joon. „Take that thing away."

„I won´t." Joon said. She stood up, trying not to show how stunned she was that her threat actually worked.

„Don´t do anything crazy." the alien-girl said.

„But I will." Joon threatened her.

„Okay, okay." the alien-girl said, backing away a little. „I behave. Just … don´t shoot."

For a moment they stood there facing each other. Joon with her raised hand and the marble that was ready to fire. The alien with her hands holding in front of her as if she tried to create a mental shield that could protect her from this very marble. Joon looked at her and tried to look scary. She had no idea if she really would have scared another human with this face, but it seemed to work on this alien-girl. For a while neither of them said anything.

„So what now?" the alien-girl finally asked.

„What?" Joon was dragged out of her tries to look dangerous.

„What do you want me to do?" the alien-girl asked.

„To do?"

„Yeah." the alien-girl said now rolling her eyes. „Thats how this works. When you take someone hostage, the next thing you do, is demanding that she does something for you." She looked at Joon confused. „You didn´t do that very often, do you?" she guessed.

Joon shook her head. The alien-girl nodded. „That explains everything." she said. Then she came back to the point. „So now what?" she asked.

Joon thought about it. Then she made a motion with her head into the computer´s direction.

„There is something blinking." she said.

The alien-girl nodded and slowly came over to her. She never let the marble out of her sight, just in case Joon should decide to shoot her anyway. Joon let her new prisoner round the console. She remained behind her, so she could keep an eye on her, in case she should try something. Her thumb was still ready to snap the marble into the second eye of that alien-girl. She didn´t want to hurt her but she would if it was necessary.

The alien-girl looked at the blinking. „That´s Gallaxhessa calling." she said.

Joon´s thoughts were racing. „She mustn´t know what is going on here." she said matter of factly. To underline her words she raised her hand again. „Tell her everything is good." she demanded.

The alien-girl nodded but didn´t do anything.

„Well?" Joon urged her.

„You are standing in the field of vision." the alien-girl explained with three rolling eyes. „She will see you."

Joon´s eyes switches back and forth for a moment. „Oh." she made and then stepped aside so she wouldn´t be seen by the alien on the screen. She still aimed at the alien-girl though. Then she gave her a nod, to show her that she should start. „Don´t say anything wrong." she warned her.

The alien-girl switched on the screen and a very angry Gallaxhessa appeared there.

„What the flagnot are you doing?" she asked. „Why don´t you answer my calls?"

„Hail Gallaxhessa." the alien-girl cried.

„I asked you a question." Gallaxhessa cried back.

„Apologies." the alien-girl said. „We have computer problems. The earthlings system infected ours with a … a vlirus."

„A what?"

„A vlirus. That´s some earth technology thingy. Nasty stuff. But don´t worry we have it under control."

„You better. I noticed an attack on our system. I thought someone was trying to get access to it."

„That was the vlirus, Gallaxhessa." the alien-girl explained. „No one was on our computer but we."

Gallaxhessa thought it over. „All right." she finally said convinced. „But keep your eyes open. All four … three of them." For a moment it seemed as if Gallaxhessa wanted to ask her clone what happened to her forth eye, but then she dismissed it. „The humans seem to be quiet tricky lately." she went on. „We can´t afford to drop defence."

„We won´t Gallaxhessa." the alien-girl promised.

„Good. Gallaxhessa out."

„Hail Gallaxhessa." the alien-girl cried once again. Then the screen went blank.

She looked over to Joon with an asking look on her face, as if to ask: Satisfied? Joon thought about it and decided that she was. She lowered her hand that was holding the marble. She couldn´t hold it up that way forever anyway. So far the alien-girl seemed to behave. Then she had another idea. When she had a prisoner now and if it was really the way it worked, then she could use that, couldn´t she?

„Can you help me to get access to the system?" she asked her.

* * *

**Okay girls. I think we can say that this one was the Gallaxhessa-episode of this series. Hope you liked it anyway.**

** And thanks for reading.**


	33. Chapter 33 Offers

**Hi there. Was it fast enough? Seriously Suewe, when you wrote you´d go to Florence and didn´t know ... I thought the next words would be ... if I will come back. *chuckle* You know that Hannibal Lecter was in Florence, do you? Well, maybe not. But seriously, don´t bother with this story. You go to Italy and you should enjoy that. There is plenty of time to read this crap I´m writing later. But in case you still caught this one. Here we go.**

* * *

**Offers**

At last the rain was falling. Gallaxhessa opened her hands to feel it drop on her palms. It was cold. But the wind was still warm. Strange combination. It was tickling her nerves. Not in an unpleasant way though. The thunder was closer now. In fact it was right over her head. She could even feel it in the metal beneath her feet. Whatever it was that caused these sounds had to be strong enough to shake earth. She raised her face up to the sky and took the sensations in that it brought with it. Something had changed when this storm had come up. Something in the air but not the rain. She couldn´t name it. It was just a feeling. Something like pressure. Very gentle but it was there. Inside of her head she could feel it. Then the rumbling came again, stronger this time as if something in the sky had just dropped and crashed. Gallaxhessa flinched at this. Maybe it was dangerous outside. Maybe this earth weather was that different from the weather on her planet that it could kill her. What if it didn´t just sound like some heavy stuff crashing up there? What if there was really something that could fall down on her? Could the sky drop on your head? This was a strange planet after all. Everything was possible.

But then she saw the lightning. One quick long line right over the forest, that came down somewhere behind the horizon. Somewhat ten seconds later there was another thunder. So that was it. Now she understood. And with the understanding there came the relief. So there was something similar to the storms on her homeplanet after all. These storms might be mainly of water, but there was electricity in them as well. Another lightning flashed over the sky and Gallaxhessa almost laughed in joy. An ionic storm almost like the ones at home. That was the prove. You could find familiar things everywhere if you kept looking for them. It didn´t matter how strange this planet was to her, she still could make it hers. This storm was all she had needed to convince herself of that.

Another lightning stroke and Gallaxhessa laughed. She found herself wishing that it would rain harder. The wind was raising up now, cheering her. Another lightning. Yes give me more, she thought ecstatic. The thunder rumbled. She could stand out here forever. Then a lightning came down and stroke her robot. The electricity ran through the metal and hit her. For a moment she was withering under the force it produced. Then it was over. Her tentacles felt weak all the sudden and she slowly slipped over the edge and through the hatchway back into her robot. For a moment she just lay there, struck not just because of the effect the electricity had had on her. How had this happen, she wondered? Eventually she managed it to stand up again. Maybe it was time to go back to work after all. She wasn´t here for sightseeing.

There was something she wanted to check out anyway. Something that was on her mind since she had spoken to that green monster in the city they called Las Vegas. What he had said, had been intriguing. She couldn´t get it out of her head. Its still my planet, he had said. But it wasn´t. Not if it was true what he told her. It was the planet of the humans. Humans ruled this world and they had imprisoned monsters like him. The monsters were outsiders in this world. He was an outsider. So why did he help humans to keep control over this place? He should be happy that she, Gallaxhessa came along to chase humans from this planet. Didn´t he see that? Maybe this idea hadn´t occurred to him yet. Gallaxhessa couldn´t help but wondered what he would say if she would set this idea into his head. Would he change sides? Maybe they all would.

A completely new idea had raised in her head. These monsters had been the reason why Gallaxhar had failed. Only because of them, earth was still in human hands. Was it possible that they were the key? That this was the part she had overlooked for so long? What would possibly happen if these monsters wouldn´t fight against her but the contrary – for her? It was worth a shot she decided. If she was right, then she finally would have the advantage over the human resistance that she was looking for. She opened a channel to her clones in Las Vegas.

„Hail, Gallaxhessa." the clone who answered her call cried.

„Status report." she demanded.

„We have reached a save place." the clone told her.

„Is the prisoner secured?"

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

„Did anyone see you?"

„No, Gallaxhessa."

„Good." she said. „Let me talk to the prisoner."

The clone carried the device over to the Link again, the way they had done it before. When she saw his face on the screen she was excited. What would he say to her offer? He surely would understand what she was about to tell him. That he had no business fighting for the humans any longer and that it was best for him and his friends to join her troops instead. He just had to see the advantages behind that offer.

„Hallo Link." she greeted him. „How are you?"

„Great." Link replied full of irony. „Hadn´t had such a great vacation in years."

„The uncomfortable situation is unavoidable at the moment. But I´m sure we can change that soon."

„Ah yeah?" Link said. „Perfect. I can´t wait for my workout."

„I understand that you are angry." Gallaxhessa told him. „Of course you are. But wait until you hear what I have to say. Then you might change your opinion."  
„I doubt that."

„Lets give it a try." she smiled.

Link sighed. „Well I barely have a choice do I?" he said. „And its not that I have better things to do right now. Except maybe trying to save earth from an invasion."

„Thats exactly what I wanted to talk about." Gallaxhessa replied. „Let me ask you a question. Is it earth you want to save … or humans?"

„What?" First Link didn´t quiet get her. He blinked in confusion. „Isn´t that … That is the same, sister." he told her. „You are confused."

„No, I think I´m not." she replied. „I think you are the one who is confused. You see this planet is in the hands of humans. Still. But you told me that these humans imprisoned you and your kind. Why?"

„Well, because …" Link tried to answer but didn´t know what to say. He hadn´t expected a question like that.

„Because you were different?" Gallaxhessa offered an answer. A look into his face told her that she was right. „You told me." she said. „And, you know, I have started to think. We are not that different in this regard. Actually we are quiet the same in this. We are both not human."

„Where are you going with this?" Link shot when he realized that this talk had taken a direction he didn´t like.

„I´ll tell you." Gallaxhessa said. „I´m willing to offer you something. You and your kind. I´m talking about all the monsters that there are on this planet. Hiding, maybe imprisoned like you were. I offer you a way out of the shadow of your existence. A place in this world that is not behind bars. I offer you to change your fate, Link. Yours and the fate of all your fellow monsters."

„I can´t wait to hear where the catch in all this is." he said.

„No catch." Gallaxhessa replied almost surprised that he even expected something like that. „Why should I try to catch you anyway?" she added with a smile. „I already got you."

„Haha, very funny."

„But seriously. I offer you to take back the world from those creatures who have claimed it for themselves. Your kind was here long before them. Its your right to rule this world not theirs."

„So you want to give the world to us?" Link said. „How generous. Thank you very much but you shouldn´t have made yourself so much labour."  
Gallaxhessa chuckled. „It was some labour thats true." she admitted. „But that was mostly because of you."

„Me?"

„You monsters, I mean." she explained. „But you know, it didn´t have to be that way. We could do so much more if we would work together. It would serve both of our species. Mine and yours."

„Are you really telling me to desert to your side?" Link finally got the message. „Are you kidding?"

„Think about the possibilities." Gallaxhessa said. „We are at the same side already. Human kind is our common enemy."

Link stared at her in disbelieve. He couldn´t believe what he just heard.

„You are not like me." he said in a deep voice that was full of anger.

„I´m not?" Gallaxhessa asked. „Why?"

„You ordered to kill those men who are trying to find me." Link barked and pulled at his ropes again.

Gallaxhessa just snorted. „Don´t fool yourself. They don´t try to find you. They try to find my clones to fight them."

„It doesn´t matter." Link cried a little out of balance because of this assumption. Was she right? It was possible. Maybe they truly just tried to find the stash of the aliens and it had nothing to do with him. But still. It didn´t change anything about the facts.

„I have fought with some of them." he told her. „That makes them my partners. At least to a certain point. You ordered to kill them."

„And that bothers you." she deducted a little surprised.

„Of course it does." Link cried completely not understanding where this whole chat was supposte to go. Gallaxhessa looked at him with a hard but musing gaze. She nodded.

„I see." she said. Then she turned to her right and activated another screen. „Alien clones. This is Gallaxhessa." she called in.

„Hail, Gallaxhessa." the clone answered her.

„Did the humans already arrive?" she wanted to know.

„No, Gallaxhessa. We´re still waiting for them."

She nodded and looked over to the left screen again as if thinking. „Change of orders." she then said. „When they arrive, don´t kill them. Take them hostage instead. We might need them later."

The clone on the other side was startled. „Ehm … Gallaxhessa …" it started but Gallaxhessa silenced her clone with one harsh: „That was an order, clone."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa." it cried standing straight again.

She turned off the screen and looked at the face of the green monster again. He seemed confused.

„Why would you do that?" he asked. „Just to convince me about your offer?"

Gallaxhessa chuckled in a dry humorless way. „You must think that I´m truly a monster." she said and confused him even more. She gave him a tiny cold smile. „I have work to do." she told him. „Think about my words. We´ll talk again later."

Then she switched the channel off and left the Link behind with at least a dozen thoughts that were spinning around in his head.

...

„All right." the alien-girl said finishing the last entries on the computer. „What now?"

Joon looked at her unsure. Then she remembered what her and the Doc´s mission had been.

„I need access to the surveillance system." she said.

The alien-girl entered some commands and then looked at Joon again. „What do you want to see?" she asked.

„Ehm … the back door."

„This building has ten back doors." the alien-girl replied rolling her eyes. „You have to be more precise."

„The one near the chapel." she explained. „Thats the white building near the football field."

The alien-girl brought it on screen. The camera showed them the back door but there was nothing. Not before they moved it along the wall. Then they spotted a group of people sitting between the bushes.

„Intruders." the alien-girl cried. „I have to inform the others."

Joon raised her hand again to show her the marble that she was still holding. „No, you mustn´t." she told her.

The alien-girl took her hand away from the controls again. „Right." she said. „I forgot. So what then?"

„We need to guide them in." Joon explained. „That was the plan."

„Okay." the alien-girl said. „Where?"

„Hm?"

The alien-girl rolled her three eyes. „Where do you want to guide them?" she asked.

Joon thought about it for a second and found that she had actually no idea. She raised a finger in order to make her companion wait.

„Just a second." she said and took the handradio the Doc had left her and took the earwig in again. Then she pushed the speaker button. „Ehm, landing party." she called. „This is Joon, over."

Outside Zach heard the call and jumped up to take the call.

„Joon." he cried as quiet as possible. „This is Staff Sergeant McNamara, over."

„Ehm, I just wanted to report that I have access to the system now." Joon said. „In fact … I can see you. Right now."

Outside Zach turned his head around and looked up the wall where he now spotted the camera that was installed there.

„Are you kidding?" Tom cried. „They could have seen us all the time?"

„Shut up." Zach cried back. „Who´s school is that anyway?"

„I thought you´d know your department like the back of your hand?" Tom shot back.

„Well obviously my hand is a little older than yours, kiddo." Zach said and then turned back to the radio. „Joon. Let me talk to the Doc please." he demanded.

Inside Joon hesitated unsure. „Ehm … thats not possible." she said and made Zach blink in confusion.

„Why is it not possible?" he asked. „Where is he?"

„I´m not sure." Joon said. „Hold on a second." she then put the radio down and went to the screen again to have a look through the school over the surveillance system. Zach´s cries for her to answer his question she didn´t hear.

„Joon." he cried. „Joon, dammit give me an answer."

Benny looked at him with a mixture of concern and knowing despair. „Its no use." he told Zach. „She will answer when she is ready. Whatever she´s doing right now, she has to finish it before we hear from her again."

Zach wanted to say something but then let it be. Instead he let his head hang and wiped his hand through his hair. What a way to start a mission. That was definitely not what they were teaching at the military academy. How the hell did he come here in this situation?

Inside Joon had just found the Doc on one of the cameras. He was still on the run from the aliens, but right now he decided to take a shortcut through the ventilation shaft again. She saw him jump up the wall and then quickly crawl into the shaft. Then he was gone. She took the handradio again.

„Ehm, landing party …"

„Finally." Zach cried before she could even finish her call. „Now would you mind telling me whats going on in there? Where is Dr. Cockroach?"

„Last time I saw him he was crawling into a ventilation shaft at the west wing." Joon informed him.

„What? Why the hell is he in the west wing?" Zach asked.

„I don´t know." Joon said. „Maybe its because there are less aliens there."

„What?"

„Let me try it." Benny said and took the walkie talkie from Zach. „Joon. Its me Benny."

„Hey Benny." she greeted him.

„Joon, can you tell us what happened?"

„There is no time for that." Zach cried and took the radio back from the boy. „Unless there is some bigger plan behind all this that we should know about … is there?" he asked.

„Ehm, no I don´t think so." Joon answered confused. Next to her the alien-girl was waiting for her to get ready with this call, thrumming impatiently with her fingers.

„Then we can listen to that story later, when we are in." Zach finished his sentence. „Joon, now listen to me, this is very important. Are you listening?"

„Of course I do." she said.

„Can you guide us in without the Doc´s help?" Zach asked. „Can you do that?"

„Actually that was the reason why I called you." Joon said. „Because there is a problem."

„What problem?" Zach asked concerned.

„I don´t know where you want to go." Joon explained. „You never told me."

„Is she serious?" Zach asked in disbelieve. Benny just looked at him helpless. „Joon." Zach went on as calm as he could. „You are at the main computer right now, aren´t you?"

„Yes?"

„Then … lead us there. To the place where you are. Can you do that?"

„I think I can." Joon answered.

„Good. Then do that."

„Okay." Joon agreed. „First you need to enter the building."

„All right. I already got that much." Zach said and stood up. They checked the surroundings and then sneaked over to the door. As soon as they were in Joon told them to follow the hallway and then to turn right please. Zach rolled his eyes and had to restrain the urge to squeeze the walkie talkie in his hand. They turned right.

„Please follow the course of the hallway." Joon said again.

„What the heck she thinks we are doing?" Zach whispered. Benny could only shrug.

In the computer cabinet the alien-girl gave Joon a look. „You know." she said. „You really should think about getting another job. You´re not very good at this."

Joon only replied: „I´ll think about it."

...

The team around Bryce and Monger was still on the way through the city. They had just crossed main street that was blocked with abandoned cars and were now stuck when they had to face a destroyed tunnel, what denied any kind of entry whatsoever.

„Where to go now?" Bryce asked.

„Ahh man." Tucker whined. „This is woorse than going to town at rush-hour."

„Which way now?" Bryce turned to his other men.

„You asking me?" Monger replied. „I haven´t been in this city for over twenty years."

„I´m pretty sure we have to go back the street and then turn the left." someone said.

„Are you serious?" another one replied. „Our target is the city. We need to take the Highway."

„Man, wheere is a map when you need one?" Tucker said.

„This is ridiculous." Bryce said and took the radio. „Base, this is Bryce. Come in."

„Yeah. This is Base. We can hear you loud and clear, sir." Perez´ voice answered them in a low tone as if he was holding the radio close to his mouth. His voice sounded ridiculously similar to Barry White.

„Perez." Bryce said a little startled. „Perez we have a problem here. The tunnel is blocked. We need some help to reorientate."

„A blocked road, hm? Let me see." Perez answered still in this disturbing tone and after a few seconds he said: „Please hold on a second. We try to figure out another way for you."

„We don´t have the time to stand around here until YOU figured something out." Bryce cried now getting impatient.

„Then I would suggest getting a map." was the answer.

„Would you stooop talking like that!" Tucker demanded. „This´s staartin´ making me uncoomfortable."

„I don´t know what you´re talking about." Perez replied still in his radio moderator voice.

„Stop that." Bryce barked.

„Sorry, Boss." Perez said now back to normal but with a chuckle in his voice.

„Hey guys." one of the men that had walked back to the last corner cried. „I found a book store. They sell maps in here."

„Finally." Bryce groaned.

„You have any money with you?" Monger asked him with a grin.

Bryce just gave him a face and took the radio up again. „We´ll proceed with a street map from a local shop, over." he reported.

„Glad that I could help." Perez replied again with this funny voice of his. „This is Washington Base and I am …" Bryce switched the radio off.

Perez didn´t mind. He was grinning widely, much to his comrade´s Eddy´s annoyance.

„You are such a smartass." Eddy said.

„Thank you very much." Perez replied. „Right back at ya."

Another call came over his walkie talkie. It was Alisha´s voice. „Guys." she called for them and Perez took the radio back to his mouth.

„Yes, this is Perez." he answered back to the seductive radio moderator. „What can I do for you?"

„Cut the crap, Al." Alisha replied. „We found something down here, that you guys should see."

„What is it?" Perez asked still in his roll.

„We checked the streets of the neighbourhood." Alisha explained ignoring his stupidity. „And we found some dead aliens here."

„So what?" Perez asked. „We shoot some of them, thats not a big deal that you found them."

„But these aliens were not shot." Alisha explained.

„So … how did they die?" Perez wanted to know, his funny voice forgotten.

In the allay Alisha and the others of her team looked down at the alien bodies lying in front of them. All of them black like coals. She took the radio up again and said: „They were burned."

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**Okay people. You know the drill. I see you next week. (And if not, it is ok too, Suewe. Enjoy your holiday)**

**And thanks for reading.**


	34. Chapter 34 Fire

**Hello back.**

**Joy: Never mind of being late. This is no contest about who is the fastest. I´m happy that you review at all.**

**Claws: Despite what I just wrote, I was wondering where you were. But now you´re here so everything is good.**

**Suewe: Don´t know if you´re back already or still on vacation so I just say I hope you have a good time (wherever you are).**

**And now back to the story, shell we?**

* * *

**Fire**

The allay was a small one. Hidden and usually no place where someone would want to spend more time than necessary. It was the place where people placed their garbage sometimes in the cans and most of the time outside of them. Sometimes a beggar might sleep in here between those trashcans sharing his place with a shabby dog or the cats that strolled through the neighbourhood. And the rats of course. Lots of rats. But right now this allay was deserted. That was if you took aside the four smothered heaps that once had been aliens and the small group of soldiers who were examining them.

„This is strange." one of them mused after he had looked the place up and down.

„What is strange?" Perez demanded to know. „Man, you are looking at this for over ten minutes. Any time soon now?" Alisha gave him a bump with her elbow. „What? I mean we all can see that they are toast. Whats the big deal? Probably grilled themselves with their canons."

„That were not alien canons." the investigating man said. His name was Allan Drake, a Gunny by rank.

„No?" Perez replied. „How do you know?"

Drake stood up and gave Perez a look. „I´m with the N-CIS, remember?" he said. „I know how to look at a crime scene."

„This ain´t no crime scene." Perez argued. „Just some dead octopussies."

„Crime scene or not, these aliens were not shot with laser canons. We all saw how it looks like when one of those lasers hit something. It looks nothing like that."

„Thats true." Alisha agreed with a sad voice, remembering how Ben´s arm had looked when the alien had shot him back in the ships hangar. Obviously Al remembered it too because he didn´t argue about that any longer.

„We also can see that there was no random fire in this allay." Drake went on. „If there had been everything would be burned and the fire might have spread over the whole building."

„Right." Perez agreed, waiting for the big solution that was supposte to come with all these observations. But Drake wasn´t don yet. He walked around the aliens, gesturing for them as if he was looking for the best angle to shoot a picture. He looked around at the walls and trashcans again. Something he had done at least a dozen times since Perez had come here. The big Marine slowly lost his patience.

„What the hell are you looking for?" he asked. „What do you see in those walls? You´re looking at them like an architect who forgot to build in the door."

Drake turned to him but instead of answering he looked past him. Perez turned around to see what he saw but couldn´t spot anything. Drake on the other hand seemed to have found exactly what he was looking for. He nodded and passed Perez and Alisha. Then he stood some steps behind them pointing into the direction of the aliens with both hands.

„I think it came from here." he said.

„What came from there?" Perez asked.

„The fire?" Alisha guessed startled.

Drake nodded. „Look at it. The wall over there is black. But not as if the fire had crawled it up from the ground, where a fire usually would be located. It looks as if the fire had hit the wall. Right that way. It hit the aliens and blackened the wall behind them."

Alisha and Perez looked at the scene again and had to agree that their comrade was right. It really looked like he had described it.

„So what are we talking about?" Alisha asked. „A flame thrower?"

„Its the only explanation I have." Drake said. „But that brings us to the question: Who did this? And why didn´t we notice it? Our guys were right around the corner when this happened. A flame thrower is not the easiest thing to carry around. Shouldn´t we have seen someone? Or at least heard something? But no. Nothing. As if a phantom had done this."

There was a brief silence. Then Perez raised both eyebrows at Drake. „Dude, you know how to creep people out." he said. „Ever thought about writing horror-stories?"

Drake was so startled about this that he didn´t know what to say. He didn´t got a chance anyway, because in this moment, Perez´ walkie talkie started to crack. Eddy´s voice, squeaking and interrupted by static called in.

„Ehm, guys." he said. „This is crow´s nest one, over."

„What´s up, Eds?" Perez asked still smirking over his little triumph over Drake.

„You should so see this." Eddy told them. His voice was full of awe and maybe even fear. Something was going on.

„Eds?" Perez asked.

„Just … get out of that allay and look north." Eddy told them.

Perez threw a look around. His comrades looked as unsure as he felt himself. Then they all moved out of the allay as fast as they could. Whatever it was, that Eddy had spotted, it truly had shaken his nerves. Outside the other Marines were already looking into the direction Eddy had mentioned. When the three of them turned that way they understood why Eddy had been so struck.

Perez jaw dropped open when he saw it and next to him Alisha gasped. At the first sight this thing was just overwhelming and had Perez not known that they were save where they were, he would have screamed for all of them to hit the deck. But gratefully he knew better and so he spared himself this embarrassing scene. Instead they all just stood there and stared at this new development.

„Do you see it?" Eddy´s anxious voice asked them over radio.

„Yeah, we see it, Eds." Perez told him, his own voice now low and careful as if he was afraid to speak too loud. All he could think was: Man, they must see that in Quantico, big as it is. The next thing he thought was: Can _it_ see _us_? Maybe it was just a picture, like the screen of a TV, but what if it wasn´t? Maybe they should hide. But before he even had a chance to think about that any further, the big projected alien head that floated over the city, started to speak.

„This is Gallaxhessa." it said. „As you probably know, I am the one who is trying to take over your planet. If you didn´t know that, you do now. So. After we got this clear, lets come to the point. There is one amongst you, who carries something that I need. This something is known as Quantonium and this someone is a certain Susan Murphy."

The Picture of the alien head was temporally replaces by a picture of Susan.

„I want her to be surrendered." the voice went on. „If you bring her to me, I will leave your city in peace. Not your planet of couse. But this city will have to fear no more harm. I know that you are there somewhere, Susan. I saw your ship going down very close to this city. I give you this one chance to surrender yourself. I´m sure you don´t want those people to suffer for you. Or your friend."

This time it was a picture of Link what was seen in the sky.

„Your plan is never gonna work." he said. „It doesn´t matter what you do. … Maybe you should .. trade me for the Quantonium? … To be honest, I don´t care why you want it so badly. You can´t have it. Message complete."

Links image vanished and Gallaxhessa reappeared again. She was smiling. „You should listen to your friend, Ginormica." she said. „He knows that you have no chance. Give up as long as you can. Save your friend and all the humans in this city. All I want is the Quantonium."

After the transmission went out, the soldiers around Bryce and Monger stood stunned for a moment. They exchanged gazes with each other that were all asking the same. At last they looked over to Monger, since Ginormica and the monsters were his responsibility. As soon as the General noticed their gazes he woke up from his own frozen state. He grabbed the walkie talkie and switched on the frequency they had agreed for the ghosts.

„Susan, you stay where you are, you hear me?" he barked into it. „I know what you´re thinking. Don´t come out. Stay where you are."

There was a moment of only static answering him. Then Susan´s voice came over it.

„What will she do to him?" she asked. „I can´t just hide while she holds Link hostage."

„You can and you will." he replied. „If Gallaxhessa gets the Quantonium …"

„This is Link we´re talking about." she interrupted him. There was another voice in the background, Monger assumed to be Stanton´s. „I don´t care." she cried. „He´s my friend."

Bryce gave Monger a sympathizing glance.

„Ginormica." Monger hissed angry. „As your commanding officer, I give you a direct order to stay put. You´ll put us all in danger if you do what she wants not just Link."

„I can´t believe you say that." she replied. „You saw him."

„Yes, I saw him and that was obviously a fraud. Probably just some footage she cut together. Come on, you´re smarter than this. They do that on TV all the time. This is no prove for anything. As far as we know he could be dead already."

„What?"

Monger winced a little and suddenly noticed the stares he got from Bryce and some of the others. „Ok, that didn´t come out right." he said. „What I meant to say was …"

In this moment someone yelled: „INCOMING!" and then the wall on the other side of the street exploded. Monger went down on his knees by pure instinct and a moment later he heard shooting.

Some aliens were gathered at the next corner, shooting at them with their lasers. The soldiers were shooting them down but more and more of them seemed to come.

„Maaan, there has to be a nest somewhere." Tucker cried and kept shooting.

„We have to take cover!" Bryce yelled over the noise and dragged Monger up to his feet. He had pulled his gun already and was now looking around for a place. When he heard a window shatter he turned around and spotted something.

„Everybody in there." he yelled. His men looked around and saw it too. In strict military order they started to head for the place, constantly covered by their comrades.

...

In Massachusetts Dr. Cockroach was still sitting in the ventilation shaft. The alien gun was lying next to him. He had managed it to get rid of the aliens for now but he knew they were still looking for him. He could hear them. They were talking to each other but as far as he could tell they were still not sure where he was hiding. But that was the point. He was hiding. And that hadn´t been the plan. As long as he was in here he didn´t help anyone. Not Joon, not himself, no one. He had to keep going and he had to find the way back to the computer cabinet. It was ridiculous. All these great skills of a Cockroach, all his knowledge and he failed in finding his way back to a stupid little room. How did he get lost so helplessly?

He shook these questions off and started to move again. Somewhere he had to find a clue to where he was. It didn´t need much time and he passed another lattice. On the outside he could see a room. There were people gathered together in this room, all of them forty or older. The room looked like a faculty lounge so he assumed that had to be the professors. Then he spotted someone amongst these professors and his heart skipped a beat. That was Smith. The man who had attempted to help him with his invention. So he was ok after all. The others Dr. Cockroach didn´t know. And then he thought: Smith knows this building. He could guide me back to the computer cabinet. The only problem was, that they all were locked in that room. He quickly scanned the room but there was no alien in there. Maybe they guarded the door from outside.

Dr. Cockroach´s thoughts were racing. He needed to get back to Joon. He had no idea where he was and these men and women down there did. But if he went down there, to get Professor Smith out, he would have to deal with the others too. And this time Zach wasn´t here to assure them that he was one of the good guys. What if some of them started to scream as soon as they saw him? They would alarm the aliens. Okay he had still the gun but he would endanger them all anyway. Could he really risk that? But on the other hand … what choice did he have?

So he slowly took the lattice in both hands and removed it. Some of the professors down there, looked around when they heard the new sound, searching the source of it. Dr. Cockroach halted. Now this was the moment of truth. Some of them had now spotted the open lattice but obviously didn´t see him yet.

„Professor Smith." Dr. Cockroach whispered loud enough to be heard.

The professors tensed. Smith squinted in his direction but of course couldn´t see anything.

„Professor Smith its me." Dr. Cockroach whispered.

The old man needed another moment but then he recognized the voice. His eyes went wide.

„Doctor?" he called surprised.

„Herbert, who is this?" a man in his mid-fortys asked next to Smith.

„Ehm …" Professor Smith tried to find the right words but Dr. Cockroach took over.

„I´m here to help you." he whispered. „I´d like to come out. But you need to stay calm. Professor Smith?"

„He´s right." Smith agreed addressing his colleagues. „Don´t … be scared."

„Oh, my god is this …" Someone guessed when he recalled the name but in this moment Dr. Cockroach had already left the shaft and everybody could see him. The crowd gasped.

„Its all right, friends." Smith told them. „He´s a friend."

„Friend my ass." he heard someone say and immediately knew who it was. Salvar, the principle, looked with disgust and hate at Dr. Cockroach who was now crawling down the wall. „I told you he is bad news when he came here the first time. Now look around. What did it bring us that we allowed him to enter this ground?"

„You can´t seriously believe that all this is his fault." Smith said.

„How do we know that?" Salvar replied. „Look, he has one of their weapons. I bet he is with them."

„I´m here to help you." Dr. Cockroach told him. „I stole this gun from one of the aliens. Its not mine." Then he turned to Smith without waiting for a response. „I need your help, Professor. I can´t find my way back to the compute cabinet."

„What do you want there?" Salvar demanded to know.

„Our plan was to hack into their system to get access to it." Dr. Cockroach explained.

„Didn´t I tell you?" Salvar cried addressing his colleagues.

„Would you shut up and let him talk?" Smith cried when he lost his patience.

„No, I won´t shut up. You let this thing in and endangered all of us but I´m the principle of this school and I won´t allow this to go any further."

„Maybe we should hear him out." someone suggested. „If he can help us …"

„HE is a mutant." Salvar interrupted. „An accident that shouldn´t have happened. He is dangerous. Maybe the aliens sent him here to kill us."

„Why should they do that?" Smith asked. „If they wanted to kill us they could do it easily on their own. Why should they cause themselves so much trouble?"

„I have no idea why." Salvar replied. „Maybe they try to trick us for other reasons. I only know that it is quiet suspicious that he points a gun at us while he tries to tell us that he is here to help."

„I´m not pointing it at anyone." Dr. Cockroach argued offended and lowered the gun even further than he had hold it already.

„Not yet." Salvar went on.

„Listen. I´m here because I want to help. We have no time for arguing. We need to …"

„I don´t trust him." Salvar told the others. „As long as he has the gun, he could shoot at us any time."

„Thats true." an older woman agreed. „I never liked weapons, especially when they are in the same room with me."

„I can assure you that I won´t harm you with it." Dr. C tried to calm her.

„Then prove it." Salvar demanded. „Hand it over. If you really are here to help us then hand it over to us."

„I already know how to use it. If the aliens come in here …"

„Didn´t I tell you?" Salvar cried again. „He´s here to trick us."

„I´m not."

„Then hand the gun over." Salvar repeated. „Give it to our friend Smith here. Then I´m ready to listen."

Some people mumbled in agreement. Dr. Cockroach looked at Smith asking. The old Professor was unsure himself but then he nodded.

„I think I can hold it for a moment." he said. „I´ll give it back to you if anything happens. I don´t want to shoot it by any chance if I can avoid it."

Dr. C hesitated one last second. Then he lay the alien canon in the Professor´s hands.

„You see?" Smith asked Salvar. „No need for you to worry."

„Excuse me if I still don´t trust this creature." Salvar hissed.

„I don´t care if you trust me or not." Dr. C replied now getting angry. „We need to hurry."

„Why do we need to hurry? We seem to have plenty of time thanks to you and your friends."

„No, we don´t have time. You need to show me the way to the computer cabinet, Professor Smith. Joon is there all by herself. She is waiting for help."

„Joon Carson?" Smith asked. „What is she doing here?"

„She guided me in here."

„Oh." Salvar said. „And she couldn´t guide you further?"

„We had to separate." Dr. C tried to explain.

„Of course you had." Salvar said sarcastically.

„Would you let him finish at least one explanation?" a younger man in the crowd asked.

Salvar looked at him, but then he exhaled and took a step aside as if to give the stage to Dr. Cockroach, making a dramatic gesture in the process. Unconsciously reacting to that Dr. Cockroach took some steps forward to address the people who were now looking at him anxiously. Some seemed to skip back a little when he approached them though.

„I came here by coincidence." he started to tell. „We destroyed the alien ship and had to jump out. I had no idea that we had landed in Massachusetts."

„I bet you hadn´t." Salvar snorted.

„But when we learned where we were, we decided to free the people who got imprisoned here." Dr. Cockroach went on, trying to ignore the stubborn principle. „Some students are helping us."

„Them … I bet this is him and his monster friends." Salvar pointed out.

„No." Dr. C denied. „I´m the only monster here."

„You´re damn right about that." Salvar replied. He made a sudden move and suddenly Smith realized that it hadn´t been a coincidence that the principle had inched closer to him when he had took the two steps aside. Salvar took the alien gun from him before he even knew what happened.

„No!" he cried and tried to take the gun back from this mad man.

Some women started to scream and some of the men cried out for each other to take cover. The laser shot out of the gun in the same moment when the door was opened and the aliens came in to see what all the screaming was about. Dr. Cockroach had jumped aside to avoid the laser but ran into a man that was in his way. He bounced back and brushed the laser that was already in the air behind him. When the energy touched him, his body winced violently at this and he got thrown in the opposite direction as if someone had pushed him. He landed on some of the professors and they all hit the ground along with him.

Smith and Salvar had slipped too during their struggle over the gun and kept struggling for it while lying on the ground. Then they found themselves surrounded by two aliens who aimed at them with grim faces.

„Hand this gun over, prisoners." one of them demanded.

They did.

...

Link though that he might have never been so confused in his whole life. All what had happened so far had made sense until Gallaxhessa, the enemy, had started to talk to him. He was still convinced that she was trying to trick him with this order she had given. That she had only withdrawn the order to kill because she wanted him to believe that she wasn´t that bad after all. For what other reason should she do that anyway? Not because she felt compassion. She didn´t feel any compassion. Did she? Of course not. She had attacked earth just because she wanted to rule it. She was evil. An evil alien that would kill without feeling anything.

He tried to pull on his ropes again, for probably the hundredth time. It was useless. Even if he would come out of this chair, these aliens were watching him constantly. Didn´t they even need to use the bathroom once in a while? That was creepy. Especially their faces. All the same like …

„What?" one of them asked him when she noticed his staring.

„Nothing." he answered grimly. „Its just … you all are looking like Gallaxhessa."

„Thank you." they all answered unisono blinking their eyes flattered.

Behind them a beeping started and they all flinched, annoyed that they were interrupted right in the middle of getting compliments. One of them opened the channel to take the call. It was surprise surprise Gallaxhessa. She demanded to talk to him again. Link prepared himself for whatever she might try this time. She wouldn´t get him, didn´t she know that? Why was she trying so hard?

„Link." she greeted him with a serious face that somehow didn´t seem right. Up until now she had always smiled with the absolute confidence of a prison guard. Now she seemed … different. He couldn´t place it though. She said: „I´m afraid I have bad news for you."

„Ah, yeah?" he replied. „Other than the fact that you want to take over my planet?"

She didn´t answer his irony, she only kept looking at him with this seriousness. „Its about your friend." she said. „The Cockroach."

„What about him?" he asked now really concerned.

„He was injured." she told him. The picture of her head was replaced by one that showed him Dr. Cockroach who was lying on some sort of a bed. Unconscious.

„What did you do to him?" Link demanded to know and pulled on his strings despite his better knowledge that is was useless.

„I didn´t do anything." Gallaxhessa told him. „That is the work of your human friends."

Link blinked in confusion. „I don´t believe you." he said.

„No?" she replied. „I have footage. You want to see what happened?"

She didn´t wait for him to answer but showed him what she had immediately. The picture of the Doc lying on the bed was replaced by a picture of a room full of people. The Doc was with them. One of them, an old guy, was holding an alien gun and another took this gun from him and shot at the Doc. Link saw his friend trying to avoid the beam and getting pushed back into it. He flew across the room and landed between the humans, where he lay motionless until the aliens took him and carried him away.

„Those are the humans you want to protect?" Gallaxhessa asked him when her face had replaced the cruel pictures again. „I don´t know, Link. Does it look to you like they would thank you? They hate you."

She showed him again how the Doc was hit by that laser beam. Link couldn´t help but winced at the sight. He knew those lasers were deadly. Was he dead? Or just hurt. She had said he was injured. So did that mean he was still alive?

„How is he?" he asked.

„He is unconscious." she answered. „But he´s alive. My clones take care of him but I´m afraid I can´t promise that he will be all right. This man hit him badly. He almost killed him." She looked at him intriguing. „Face it, Link." she said. „They will always hate you."

„This one man tried to help him." Link tried to argue. He had seen that the old man had tried to stop the other one from taking the gun. He just had to believe that. If he allowed Gallaxhessa to convince him now, he would allow her to convince him about other things too.

„I never said, that there are no exceptions." Gallaxhessa said. „There always are. But the majority is it that rules this world. And those people would rather shoot you than thank you for your help." She showed him again how the Doc got shot. Link wanted to look away but he couldn´t.

„What do you want to hear from me?" he cried angry and hurt the same time.

„I just want you to understand." she replied.

„Understand what?" he asked now yelling. „That humans hate us? I already know that!"

„Then you should appreciate my offer." she said. Link just snorted but she went on anyway. „Think about it. We could help each other. Together we could change things."

„You want to conquer earth!" Link cried.

„Of course I want." she admitted completely honest. „But I have good reasons for it." Link laughed about it, again with no result. She just asked him: „Is it wrong that I want a future for my kind?"

„If you build it on the graves of another one." Link replied.

Now it was her who laughed as if he had said something ridiculous. „Humans don´t need to die." she told him. „They might as well live here. In observed regions of course, watched by my guards. And of course we would rule them. But that is common sense after a takeover."

Link snorted again. Who was she trying to convince with that?

„Don´t be so stubborn." she said. „Who´s opinion is it, you defend here? Yours … Or your human incarcerators´?"

Now Link was startled. „What?"

„Of course they told you that humans have the right to rule this world. That it is their given birthright. But your kind has the same right. Why should they have more right than you? Because they outnumbered you? There are much more insects on this world than humans. Why don´t they rule the world?"

„Insects are not intelligent." Link argued.

„Your friend the moth is." Gallaxhessa replied reasonable. „And so are you. Be smart, Link. Help me. And let me help you. Your kind and my kind could create a new world together."

Link was confused. He knew it was insane to even listen to her. He had no reason to trust her. She was holding him captive so she could get the Quantonium from Susan. She had invaded earth and destroyed cities. She was the enemy. So why was he listening to her? Because he had no choice. He could try to ignore her but she could keep talking anyway. It wasn´t as if he could press his hands over his ears. It was ridiculous. She wanted to convince him to change sides. For what reason? He was just one guy. She couldn´t possibly think that he could be any asset to her, could she? What did she think he was? Super-Link?

„What do you want from ME?" he asked her in his desperation.

„I want you to convince your friends." she answered. „That it is the best for all of us to work together. That they have no liability towards humans."

Link just stared at her. He couldn´t believe what was happening here.

„I know it is hard for you to believe that another world like the one you know could be possible." she said. „You lived in this world for so long, only knowing it as a world that hates and despites you. But it could be different. We could make it change. Monsters could rule the world instead of humans. We could make it happen. You and I."

Link´s desperation became stronger and stronger. He suddenly felt like he was sitting in a sauna without temperature control. His breathing was much too fast.

„I can´t!" he finally yelled, clinging his hands around the armrests of the chair. „No! I can´t!"

Gallaxhessa smiled at him understanding. „You can." she said confident. „You just need some time. You´ll understand at last. You will see." She nodded at him reassuring. „I need to go now." she then said. „I´ll call you again when there is something new about your friend. I promise."

With that she switched off the channel. Link was staring blankly at the empty space in front of him, where her face had been. If he had been able to sweat, he would have been soaked in sweat right now. His heart was thumping rapidly in his chest. God, he felt so dizzy.

* * *

**Wow and so do I. Literally. I´m exhausted. Let´s just finish that and save our strength for next week. See ya.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	35. Chapter 35 Negotiation

**Hello again.**

**Claws: Don´t worry about giving anything away. Whoever reads the reviews before the story is to be blamed on his own. But you got everything pretty much covered with your summary. By the way, I take your word for it that you´ll stay with me until the end.**

**Suewe: No, I didn´t know about that computer game. I knew there was one but I´m not into such stuff so its really just coincidence that the scene was alike. Though I like to reference other things but here I didn´t. Its funny sometimes people see references even if there was none intended. How do they always write? Any resemblances to other existing works of fiction or whatsoever is entirely coincidental. Okay, maybe I changed it a little but the disclaimer is still the same ;-)**

**So after we got this straight, lets just keep going.**

* * *

**Negotiation**

It was unbelievable. So often one had seen situations like that on TV or in a film. The robbers rushed into the bank, closed the doors or barricaded them, took positions (and usually some hostages) and waited for the police who was outside to make their move. Usually this move would be a phone call of a negotiator or other expert and usually this negotiation would consist the safety of the hostages. Only that in this case there were no hostages and the police was not outside but inside in the form of some Marines. And the criminals were on the street in the form of aliens. It was the most ridiculous situation one could find himself in.

Monger was sitting behind the counter, his gun in his lap. Next to him Bryce was listening. They all were listening. Even B.O.B. was silent and tried to hear something, even though Monger doubted that the blue blob still remembered why they were in here in the first place. It was longer than five minutes after all. But so far there were no sounds, that indicated an approach of the aliens. It was as if they didn´t dare to come closer. Though Monger doubted that they had scared them by running away and hiding from them in this bank.

Why the aliens hadn´t attacked yet they didn´t know. It was just like the bank robbery situation. They inside of the bank, the others outside. And all were waiting. Little did the soldiers know about the orders Gallaxhessa had given to her clones.

„Don´t attack." she had ordered them as soon as she had heard that her clones had chased the humans into that building.

Under different circumstances she probably couldn´t have cared less, how her clones defeated those humans. But that particular group had had a monster with them. The blue one that had been on Gallaxhessa´s ship. Together with the carrier. So that meant the carrier had to be with them too. That her clones had not seen her didn´t mean anything. It had been a quick and garbled fight and the humans had ran into hiding way too fast to get any clear visuals. But at least they had seen the blue monster. Of course the carrier was amongst them. So she had given the order to wait and not to do anything.

„Don´t shoot at them. The building could collapse over them and kill the carrier. If she dies the Quantonium will vanish and it will be lost forever. Until you don´t know who it is you are shooting at, you´ll do nothing."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa." the clones had cried unisono, not knowing that they had been watched.

After the projection of Gallaxhessa had been switched off, Major Josh Stanton left his position on the rooftop from where he had listened in and went away, quickly and quietly. He hurried over two firestairs and jumped over to the next building, where he rejoined the other ghosts, who had been waiting for him there.

„There is no use." he told them right away even before any of the Marines had a chance to ask a question. „They are trapped in there. But the good news is, the aliens will not attack. Gallaxhessa has given orders to wait."

„Why that?" someone asked.

„Because they think she´s with them." Stanton explained and looked at Susan.

„Me?"

Stanton nodded. „Obviously Gallaxhessa is concerned to loose the Quantonium. She said it would become useless for her if you died. As long as they think you´re with them in that bank, they´ll be safe in there."

„But … we have to do something." Susan cried.

„We will." Stanton said matter of factly, while fiddling at his belt to get something off it. „But not now."

„What?" Susan cried in disbelieve.

„We are not enough to cope with them." Stanton explained. He had gotten his hand radio out and was immediately informed that they were out of reach to contact their nest. With a grunt of exasperation he packed it back into his pocket. Maybe it was better not to use them anyway. He had the strong suspicion that the aliens could listen in their conversation. Or at least track the signals as soon as they were sending. How else could they have found the others so fast?

„I can cope with them." Susan assured him.

„I´m sure you could." Stanton replied unimpressed. „But that is the only thing that isn´t gonna happen." She was about to protest when he went on: „When they see you they know our guys in the bank are not important for them any more. Imagine we attack and have to retrieve for some reason. In that case our men down there are done. Then they will just destroy the building they are in. You want to risk that?"

Susan lowered her gaze. Of course she didn´t. What could she say?

„What is the plan, Major?" one of the men asked.

„The same as before. With a little change. We came here to get some civilians out. Now we have to use the pawns to save the king. Your General liked the chess metaphor, didn´t he?" he added with a glance at Susan.

„Its against regulations to bring civilians into fight situations." someone argued.

„This whole situation is out of the regulations." Stanton replied. „These guys proved that they can defend themselves. They hadn´t survived so long if they couldn´t. Besides, thats our only option right now. Any other objections?"

This last question was more a warning than a real offer for further discussions. The Marines of course understood this. Stanton asked for orientation and got the direction, where they had to go in order to reach the FBI-headquarter.

„All right." he said. „Then lets go. They won´t be fooled forever."

With that the group of seven soldiers and one white haired woman left the roof behind, as well as the bank, where their comrades had barricaded themselves.

...

At the nest, Alisha lowered her hand, that was holding the walkie talkie. She had just tried to reach their team in the city and failed. After that spectacular message from the alien they had of course been anxious to hear what the boss would have to say about it or if he had any orders. But the range of these little hand radios was limited.

„Dammit." she cursed. „They are out of range."

And they would remain out of range until they came back. She refused to add the if-version of that sentence. Of course they would come back. That was the boss. He could take care of himself and his men. That they couldn´t talk to them didn´t mean that they were in any trouble. It was just this damn dinosaur equipment. The only reason why they had been able to receive the message from those people inside the city had been that they obviously had a much better transmitter. Of course they had, Alisha thought grimly. It was the freaking FBI headquarter they were in. These guys always had much better stuff than they actually needed. Too bad the FBI wasn´t here right now. Maybe one of them would have a satellite dish on him they could use.

But it was no use to cry over spilled milk. Things were the way they were and there was nothing they could do about it. Right now they had to take care of themselves. They had to protect the nest and to prepare for their comrades return. They might need help then. And there was still a bug they had to chase out of this nest before they could be sure everything was set. A firebug.

The guys were already looking around on that behalf. Every man and every woman who wasn´t on guard duty or lookout like Eddy, were now sweeping the streets and buildings within the secured perimeter. Whatever had caused this fire that had burned the aliens, they would find it. They had to. Because whatever it was it could be dangerous for them as well as it had been for these aliens.

That was the other part that was troubling Alisha. How these four beasties had come so close without them noticing it. Maybe they had come through a manhole. But actually she didn´t think so. Those covers were heavy and they made one hell of a noise when they were moved. Even if these aliens could have moved them, someone would have heard it. No, they must have come through another hole. And they had to find it as bad as they needed to find this flamethrower. Maybe it was someone who lived here, she started to muse. Someone who knew the hidden ways and how to sneak away. But then again she thought about what Drake had said. Their men had been right around the corner. They should have heard something. But no one had. They had asked around. No one. Had heard. A single noise. Not even screaming from the aliens. This fire that had hit them must have been so suddenly and so hot that they had died without ever knowing what had hit them. It was creepy. And Alisha was no person who was creeped out easily.

Next to her Perez wiped his forehead with his arm. He exhaled. „Its awfully warm, don´t you think?" he said.

Alisha threw a worried look down to his leg. „Maybe you should sit down." she suggested.

„I´m fine." he said.

„Yeah, sure, Al. I´m fine is written all over your face. Come on Mr. I´m running the marathon with a leg that is half eaten by a space crock."

„In record time." he added with a grin but took her advice to sit down anyway.

Alisha grinned slightly. What an idiot. But he had been right about one thing. The air had gotten awfully warm. Now that she focused on that she believed that the temperature had risen at least ten degrees within the last ten minutes. Was that possible? The sun was shining but the weather cast had predicted not more then 70 degrees Fahrenheit for today. But right now it felt as if there were at least 90.

Alisha got a bad feeling about that and spun around. Drake was on the other side, searching the front of the building. Some of their men were already in the building as well, Alisha knew. But it wasn´t the inside of the building that worried her. It was what she saw when she looked over at it. The air was shimmering like you see it sometimes in the summer heat when you look up the street.

That wasn´t good. It was wrong. Alisha suddenly felt as if she had to scream out for all of them. Only that there was nothing she could point her finger at and what she could warn them from. Nothing but this heat.

Drake was now moving along the building. Some heaps were still lying around there, even a car that had been turned over somehow. Drake seemed to listen to something. He moved closer to the car. Alisha thought he looked like a kid that was playing hide and seek and that was close to find one of his friends in the closet. But they were not looking for hidden kids. They were looking for something way more unpleasant.

The two men who had been searching the building came running out of the door now, when it had become unbearably hot in there. There was sweat all over their faces and they were gasping for air. That was the moment when Alisha knew, not just guessed, that something was wrong. Awfully wrong. The heat had gotten even worse by now and it wasn´t because of the sun. She was about to cry out for Drake to back off, when it already happened. A flame shot out of the crack he was peeking through and he was thrown backwards.

Alisha started to run without noticing it. She could see something rushing away behind the heaps. A shadowy figure whose form she couldn´t make out. She grabbed her gun but before she had a chance to shoot there was a cracking sound that came from inside the building. A second later lots and lots of water that came from the cracked pipes shot out of the windows. It was as if the sprinkler system had been activated. Only that there was no real fire to put out. Only that heat in the air. A heat that was now so hot that the water started to evaporate on its way down, creating a big cloud of hot mist all around them. Alisha felt as if she was standing in a Turkish bath. She squinted to see through that mist but the only thing she could see was this dark figure that she still couldn´t identify and that now vanished around the corner. Then everything just stopped. The water stopped spilling out and the heat that had become unbearable over the last two minutes dropped rapidly now. As if someone had pulled the plug.

The mist settled and Alisha called for the men that they should follow … who or whatever it was. Then she went down to her knees to help Drake. Perez had reached them by now, hopping on his good leg to be faster.

„Are you all right, Drake?" she asked.

„Yeah, yeah, don´t worry." he groaned and turned around. „Just busted my ass."

Perez immediately skipped his head back when he saw his face. „Wow." he exhaled. „And something else, man."

Drake frowned but then immediately touched his face to find out what Al had seen. He learned two things with his inspection. One, his skin felt like French toast and two: his eyebrows were gone.

...

They were there. Finally. Joon ran over to the door to open it and let them in. It had been long enough. Finally she wouldn´t be alone anymore. As she unlatched the bolt she felt her excitement rise. Benny. Benny had come. The door went open and immediately the Staff Sergeant McNamara rushed in, followed by the boys and girls who were with him. As soon as Benny had slipped through the door Joon jumped on him and hugged him.

„An alien!" someone shouted and Joon jumped again, but this time away from her brother.

„NO!" she cried. „Don´t shoot. She helped me. I mean … She´s my hostage."

„Your hostage?" Benny repeated in disbelieve.

„Yeah. I shot her."

„With what?" Zach asked confused. When Joon hold up her marble his mouth dropped open. He wasn´t the only one. After he had overcome the shock he shook his head and turned to the group.

„Watch her." he ordered two of them. Then he turned to Joon again. „So now, little lady. Tell me where our Doctor is."

„Last time I saw him he was in the west wing."

„Yes, you already said that earlier. What I want to know is, what was he doing there?"

„He was running from the aliens." Joon said.

„Were they chasing him?" Zach asked now concerned. She nodded. „Dammit." Zach cursed. „That explains everything. Okay lets see if we can find him over that surveillance system. Show me how it works."

„I … I can´t." Joon stuttered.

„Excuse me?"

„I don´t know how it works." she explained.

„You don´t? I thought you already hacked this computer once."

„The university´s computer." Joon said defensively. „This is alien technologie."

„But … You guided us in."

„Yeah, I did."

„Then why …" he stopped himself and took a breath before he could start yelling in frustration.

„How could you guide us in when you didn´t hack the system, Joon?" Benny asked and saved them all ten more minutes.

She turned to the alien-girl that was now standing in the corner guarded by Tom and another boy who´s name she didn´t know. „She did it for me. I took her hostage so I was allowed to let her do things for me." she explained like a child who explained the rules of a game.

„So … in other words." Zach rephrased it. „You have no idea how to use this system."

„Not really." she admitted.

Zach looked up at the ceiling and shook his head. „Great." he exhaled.

„But she can do it for us." Joon went on pointing at the alien girl. „I´m sure that now that you are holding her hostage, you are allowed to let her do things too. Thats the way it works."

„Joon." Zach tried to reason with her like a child. „She is an alien."

„But _she_ told me this."

„She did?" Benny asked astonished.

They all looked at the alien-girl stunned. The clone just shrugged. „Well, she obviously had no idea how to do this." she explained herself. „What was I supposte to do?"

Zach was looking at this alien estimating. At last he made a gesture with his head that was somewhat between a nod and a headshake. „All right." he said reluctantly. „Let her at the computer. But I will watch you." he added giving the alien-girl a warning look.

...

„What do you mean you lost contact with the patrol?" Gallaxhessa asked annoyed.

„They were supposte to check the city limits." the clone told her. „But they should have reported back already. They didn´t."

„Is something wrong with the com-system?"

„No, Gallaxhessa. They just don´t answer."

Gallaxhessa thought for a moment. Then she decided that she didn´t have much time for that. There was so much other work to do. To get the carrier to surrender was much more important right now. And of course there was some business she had to do in this city Las Vegas as well. Some stupid clones that had gone missing were not a big deal.

„Just send another team to look for them." she ordered therefor. „You others take care of the humans in that building as before. Try to contact them. If they are ready to talk, call me."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

She switched off the line and mused for a second. Missing clones. The city limits? One of her robots had been taken out in that area. Maybe there was a connection? But if so, why hadn´t they called in and reported what they had seen? If this whatever had killed them, they at least should have used their last seconds on earth to inform the others about that fact. At least so much dedication they should have. Damn clones. Sometimes some of them were really an embarrassment. Especially this one clone that had been about to shoot the Link when she had had her first talk with him. Why were they so stupid that they didn´t know the difference between something said hypothetical and something said for real? Maybe it was because of the lack of Quantonium she had had during the cloning process. Maybe it had infected her clones with a stupidity she couldn´t control. But that would change as soon as she had the Quantonium.

But until that happened, she had some other work to do. Luring the carrier out of her hiding wasn´t the only unfinished project she had to take care of. So she opened a channel to Las Vegas again and told her clone once again to let her talk to the prisoner.

„Is the Doc awake?" he immediately wanted to know when he saw her face.

„I´m afraid not." she answered. „There is still no change in his condition. But I will tell you as soon as there is one." she promised. „For now I just called you to ask, if you have come to a decision yet."

The Link looked at her, hesitating with his reply. Gallaxhessa forced back a smile. She almost had him. He was so close. So close to give her what she wanted.

„You said you´d give me time." he finally said.

„And I will." she assured him. „But don´t take too much time, Link. Not that I want to rush you, but you know that the invasion goes on out there. If you think too long you´ll miss everything."

There was a frown on his forehead as if this was a thought he had never considered before. Now she was almost at it, she just knew it. Just a little more and he would agree. It was always a good thing to remind people that they could miss something if they didn´t decide immediately. It somehow made them jump into your direction. As if they suddenly understood that they truly didn´t want to miss this offer, no matter if they had known that before or not. Who wants to mourn over a lost chance? No one. So even if they are not sure right now if they truly want it or not, they would take it just in case they could regret it later. It was so predictable that it was almost wickedly easy. Almost.

Now he looked at her with an asking face. „What would you do, if you would finish your invasion before I and my friends decided to join you?" he asked.

He asked her in a tone that sounded like: _Its not really important and it won´t change my decision but I´d like to know._ He asked it in such a by the way tone that Gallaxhessa was completely startled for a moment. She had no idea why she was startled. Maybe because she wasn´t sure what to answer.

„Would you still allow us to join you then?" he asked her. „To take our place next to your species. You know ruling the world and living as equal partners and all."

She blinked. „Of course, I would." she said instinctively, still not understanding where he wanted to go with that. „I´d always give them a chance to … to have a future for their kind. I mean … thats what I want after all."

The Link nodded, studying her face. „A future for your kind." he repeated. Then he asked: „Did you ever consider to ask? To ask humans if they would allow your kind to settle here? I mean how many are there?"

For a moment she was taken aback by that question. „I … don´t know for sure." she answered and that was the truth.

„Is it more than a hundred?"

„I … don´t know." she repeated now almost defensive. Why did he keep asking her for the number?

„Whatever." he then said, dismissing the number. „My point is, they are not too many that they couldn´t live here. There is enough free space on this planet. I´m sure you could find a way to arrange with humans. Maybe if you asked for … I don´t know, asylum, they would allow it."

Now finally that was a theme she knew. That was the last helpless try of his consciousness to cling to that false loyalty humans had trained him to feel for them. He hadn´t said that with the same force he had had in his voice at the beginning. This was a weak last try, something he just had to do before he surrendered.

Gallaxhessa snorted. „As if humans would allow that." she said. „Did they allow you? Humans are not known to share their world with others."

Link lowered his gaze. „No." he admitted. „I guess not."

A signal on Gallaxhessa´s panel distracted her and this time she was grateful for that.

„I have another call in the line." she said quickly. „I´ll call you back soon."

The last thing she saw before she switched off the channel, was Link´s surprised face. So it had been more obvious than intended that she had fled this conversation. Still without really knowing why she felt so uncomfortable all the sudden. He had just done a completely predictable thing. This named last try. Predictable. Except for the question he had asked. The one she hadn´t expected. If she would still stick to her word in case she should manage the invasion without the monsters. A thought that hadn´t occurred to her until now. That she would forget all about the promisses she had made so far if it should happen that way. That at least was what he had implied. But that was outrageous. Of course she had made those promisses in regard of convincing the Link to change to her side. Nothing she had said so far had been coincidence. Not even when she had predicted him he could miss the opportunity just some minutes ago. Not a single moment she had meant it, that it could truly happen so fast and without the monsters helping her. Her need for their help was the reason why she was doing this. It would be funny if it should turn out the way he said. That she should finish the human resistance faster than she could convince the monsters to turn over to her. But she also knew it wouldn´t happen. Not that fast.

But still. This question stuck in her head. What would she do in that case? Not keeping a promise like that no matter for what reason, was not her style. Though she had no longer a reason to keep it then. But at least this one thing she´d said, had been true. She wanted a future for her kind and so she could of course understand that the monsters wanted the same for their kind. Not a big deal. So why was it troubling her so much?

The signal that had ended her talk with the Link was still flashing and beeping. She shook the nasty thoughts off and hit the button to answer the call. Focus, she told herself. You have a world to conquer.

„What?" she barked when the channel was open.

The clone on the other line, skipped back a little at her reaction. „Ehm, Hail Gallaxhessa." it said in a pathetic try to calm her down. She rolled her eyes.

„What do you want?" she asked again.

„Reporting the treatment of the prisoner is showing effect." the clone said.

„Is he awake?" Gallaxhessa asked.

„Not yet. But he is recovering."

„Good. How long until he wakes up?"

„We´re not sure, Gallaxhessa."

„All right. Call me as soon as he wakes up. I want to talk to him."

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

She switched off the channel and took a breath. She was rushing and that wasn´t good. Calm down, she repeated in her head over and over again. Just calm down. We have all the time we want.

* * *

**And so do we. See ya next week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	36. Chapter 36 Treatments

**Hi there. *enthusiastic waving***

**Suewe: I know I always say its not a contest of who reviews faster but lets be honest. Of course I´m lingering before my computer waiting for them. I just would never admit that ;)**

**Claws: You have no idea whats going on? Good. Then this time I actually did a good job disguising what´s going on. Hehe. Let´s see how long I can keep you on the tenterhooks.**

**Speaking of what. Lets keep going.**

* * *

**Treatments**

The screens were changing steadily, always showing another picture, another room, another section of the building. They´d seen almost everything by now. Empty places as well as crowded ones. Either crowded with aliens or with humans. But nowhere they had spotted the Doc. If he was still in the building he had to be hiding pretty good. Zach was cursing under his breath. This goddamn bug had to come out on some point, hadn´t he? Why did amateurs like him never understand that the word sneak attack had nothing to do with military operations like this one?

The last picture came up. An empty hallway. The alien-girl looked at him asking. He looked back equally asking.

„Well?" he said.

„Thats all there is." it said.

„There has to be more." Zach argued. „He can´t have vanished into thin air. You must have overlooked him."

„I didn´t overlook him. Your friend must be out of the building."

„Why should he leave the building?" Zach asked. „He knows the plan."

„What do _I_ know?" the alien-girl said. „He´s _your_ friend."

„Your bloody damn right about that." Zach replied. „Step aside and let me try this. You must have overlooked something." When the alien-girl looked at him uncertain he waved a hand at her. „Go." he said. „Ksch. Into the corner, go. I´ll handle that from here. You." he pointed at Chris. „Watch her."

The alien-girl went into a corner of the room, closely followed by Chris, who aimed at her with his gun like a good guard. Joon followed them too. Benny hold her back at the arm.

„You shouldn´t go near her." he advised his little sister.

„I took her hostage." Joon argued and shook her arm free. „I can do whatever I want. Those are the rules."

Benny didn´t dare to hold her back, remembering what he had created last time he had tried to forbid her something. So he let go of her and watched her go over to the corner, where Chris was watching the alien. Well at least he could be sure that Chris was there to step in if something should happen. And he himself of course. He was watching too.

Joon sat down next to the alien-girl, hugging her knees. „Hey." she said.

„Hey." the alien-girl replied grimly. The two of them looked at each other for a moment in awkward silence.

„So … How´s your eye?" Joon asked.

„How does it look like?" the alien-girl asked back.

„Not _too_ bad." Joon answered not understanding the hypothetical nature of the question. The alien-girl rolled her remaining three eyes.

„Maybe that is why you overlooked the Doc." Joon said. „Maybe you are missing your fourth eye."

„I didn´t overlook him." the alien-girl argued offended. „If he´s not on the monitors than he´s not in the building."

„Young Lady." Zach cried from his place at the computer. „You really shouldn´t listen to that alien. Enemies that are hold hostage always try to manipulate." He gave her a meaningful look and then turned back to the computer.

Joon looked from him to the alien-girl again. She was blowing air in a bored way, as if to say: Yeah yeah say what you want. I can´t stop you anyway.

In that moment Joon realized something. „What is your name?" she asked the alien-girl. „You didn´t tell me your name."

„Because I have none." the alien-girl told her, obviously confused over such a stupid question.

„But … how are we supposte to call you then?" Joon wanted to know.

„You´re not supposte to call me anything. I´m your enemy."

„I thought you´re my hostage." Joon argued and before the alien-girl could reply she went on: „That means I can make you do things. And it also means I can ask for your name."

„But I don´t have a name." the alien girl repeated.

„No?"

„No."

„Why don´t you have a name?"

„Because … Because I´m a clone. There are hundreds of us. Do you have any idea how long we would need to take over a planet if we would name them all before we start?"

„I don´t want to name them all." Joon said defensive. „Just you."

„Oh, knock yourself out." the alien-girl cried.

„Why should I do that?" Joon asked confused.

The alien-girl gave her a look as if to ask: Are you for real? When Joon didn´t seem to understand her reaction she sighed in exasperation. „How you want to call me?" she asked to get the subject off the table.

„I don´t know." Joon said. „What would you like?"

Now the alien-girl really looked confused. „You ask me?"

„´f Course. Its your name after all."

„I … I don´t know any names. Except for yours."

„But you can´t be Joon. I´m Joon."

„Then what do you suggest?"

Joon thought about it for a moment. „My mom´s name was Dina." she said. „How about this?"

„Dina." the alien-girl repeated the name, listening to the sound of it. „Dina."

„Do you like it?"

When she noticed Joon watching her, she wiped the smile that had started to come over her, off her face. „Its okay, I guess." she said.

„Good." Joon cheered. „Then you are Dina now."

„Calm down." Dina said.

„I am calm." Joon insisted.

„Yeah?" Dina asked and looked ahead, avoiding Joon´s gaze. „Good."

„Yeah, good." Joon agreed also looking ahead.

„Good."

Everybody in the room was looking at them, one way or the other. Chris and Benny exchanged a wondering glance. Benny just raised his shoulders.

...

He heard humming sounds. That was before he opened his eyes. When he moved his lids so he could see he regretted it at first. The light was so bright it seemed to blind him. Suddenly there were muffled voices with the humming as if his tries to open his eyes, had brought them up. He couldn´t understand what they were saying. But it were female voices.

He tried to remember where he was. Was he in hospital? The aching he felt all over his body seemed to indicate this idea. The next thought that came to him was: Ariane. Was she one of those voices he heard? Again he tried to open his eyes. This time he could see a little better. His eyes started to get used to the light. There were machines over him. They looked strange but it was pretty obvious that they were medical equipment though. So he had to be in a hospital. But since when did the voices in a hospital sound as if they were spoken in a huge hall? Was he in an ER? No, he couldn´t be in an Emergency Room. Because he was awake and no one was operating him.

The question why he should be in hospital in the first place occurred to him. Did anything happen? An accident? Had he misjudged one of his experiments again? Now his eyes had gotten used to the light and he could see … he could see a cross. A crucifix. And paintings of saints on the ceiling. Big windows. Colourful windows. Where was he? Was he dead? This place looked like a church. The voices were closer now and then someone stood next to him. He tried to move his head but found himself unable to do so. So he just peered to his left to see who was with him. Please, let it be Ariane. Or Dr. Stevens. Someone I know that is alive, so I will know that I´m alive too. He found the face next to him and it did indeed tell him that he was alive. Not because it was a friend but because he doubted that there were supposte to be aliens in heaven.

The alien clone looked down on him with an expression like one would expect it to see on a nurse´s face that observed a critical patient. It seemed to check some datas on the machines and then turned around again to talk to someone outside of his field of vision. He opened his mouth but had to struggle to get his voice to work.

„Where am I?" he finally managed to ask.

„You´re safe." a voice answered him.

The alien clone brought something to him that created a reflection over him. It was Gallaxhessa. He recognized her face and even though her clones looked exactly like her, he could tell that she was the real Gallaxhessa. There was something in her eyes that was different. Somehow more real, more alive, more original than in the clones eyes. A whole personality. Something that was build up over years of experience and not just over some memories and knowledge that had been implanted in the brain some hours ago, when it was generated by a machine.

„What did you do with me?" he demanded to know.

„I didn´t do anything." Gallaxhessa answered earnest. „The humans shot you. Don´t you remember?"

Dr. Cockroach blinked. He tried to remember but so far his mind was still clouded. He remembered that he was on a mission to stop the alien invasion. He could remember blowing up the ship and that they had escaped with their lives very closely. He and someone. A human. Zach his name was. Of course, Zach McNamara. Now he remembered. They were in Massachusetts. But what had happened that explained why he lay here? This part was still unclear.

Gallaxhessa had watched him recall his memories until now. She seemed to know that he had managed something but not everything. „The humans you tried to free shot at you." she explained. „My clones brought you here to fix the damage they created."

Again Dr. Cockroach blinked confused. He might not be able to remember what had happened to him but he could remember quiet well who Gallaxhessa was.

„Why?" he asked therefore.

„What?" she asked back.

„Why would you do that? I´m your enemy."

She gave him a tiny smile along with a knowing look. „Even enemies have a right to be treated like equal beings." she said matter of factly.

For a moment, Dr. Cockroach didn´t know what to say. „I … I´m your prisoner." he then said.

„Right now you are a patient." she corrected. „My clones will do everything they can to heal your wounds, but you have to rest. It´ll need some time. By the way. There is someone who wants to talk to you."

The reflection of Gallaxhessa´s head vanished and for a moment Dr. Cockroach only saw the painted ceiling again. He had to be in a church of some sort, it occurred to him again. But why? Why had they brought him here? He was supposte to be somewhere else. Another sort of building. But what sort? He still couldn´t remember.

The reflection came up again in front of his eyes. But this time it wasn´t Gallaxhessa he saw there. It was Link. His old friend looked down on him with worried eyes. Dr. Cockroach couldn´t do anything else but stare back wide eyed. What was Link doing here?

„Hey, buddy." he greeted. „How you feelin?"

„Link?"

„Yeah, its me. Don´t worry, they say you´ll be fine again. You just need to rest."

„Are you a prisoner too?" Dr. Cockroach asked.

There was a strange expression on Links face. As if he wasn´t sure what to answer. Or did he imagine that? Was it just because he felt so dizzy? His vision started to blur again.

„Don´t worry about me right now." Link said when he noticed that. „Just rest. We´ll talk again later. You´ll be better soon."

But Dr. Cockroach heard his friend´s voice only in the back of his mind by now. He was already drifting off to sleep again.

...

In the Washingtoner State Bank a group of soldiers gathered around a hole in the wall. They had blocked the front of the bank, so the aliens wouldn´t be able to see what they were doing inside. They had turned over tables and doors to build up this improved barricade. But this also meant that they couldn´t see what was going on outside either. So they had thought of another way to threw a look outside.

„Okay, B.O.B." Monger told him. „You know what to do. Go slowly and quietly. And as soon as you see something that is not quiet kosher you come straight back. Got me?"

„Sure." B.O.B. said. „Just one question."

„Yes?"

„What´s kosher?"

Instead of an answer Bryce slapped B.O.B. at the back of what was the upper part of him and the closest that came to a head for the blue monster. B.O.B. just started to laugh.

„You know what to do." Monger repeated and then B.O.B. started to slither his way through the hole, making himself a crawling snake with only one big eye at the top. He slipped through the hole in the wall, what had been shot by the aliens and that was truly just big enough for him to get through.

Outside the street was a mess but he couldn´t see any aliens. That might be because it was a backstreet and the aliens were waiting at the front side. So B.O.B. crawled further to the exit of the alley. He peeked around the corner and there they were. They stood around with their guns and watched some others that tried to peek into the bank. Maybe they had had the same idea like Monger. To try to find out what they were doing inside.

One of them turned its head and spotted his eye. It aimed its gun at him but another alien stopped it by laying a hand on the gun.

„No." it said. „No shooting, remember?"

Though B.O.B. was still not sure what kosher meant but he had a feeling that this wasn´t it. So he backed off and slipped back into the bank as fast as he could, just like Monger had told him to. The aliens followed him.

„What?" Monger asked. „What is it B.O.B.? What have you seen?"

„I saw aliens." B.O.B. told him.

Bryce rolled his eyes. He was about to say something when they heard sounds from outside of the hole. Voices.

„Oh, fo-cry-aaa-lawd!" Tucker cursed and started to shoot through that little hole.

The aliens that had started to gather around there and peek in jumped back. Tucker was still shooting. Some of his bullets hit the wall but most of them actually went pinpointed through the hole.

„Cease fire!" Bryce bellowed. „For gods sake, Tucker! Save your bullets!"

Tucker stopped firing. The silence that followed his shooting excess was a strange one. He looked at Bryce with a disappointed expression. His gun was still pointed at the hole. After a minute or so one single alien dared to peek in to see what had happened. Tucker pulled the trigger and shot it.

„Sowry, Boss." he said with a shrug. Bryce just shook his head.

Outside the aliens had understood that is wasn´t a good idea to approach this hole. They had tried whatever they had been able to, to do what Gallaxhessa had wanted. Now they called her to tell her that it was useless.

„They don´t want to talk." the clone informed her.

„Did they say that?" Gallaxhessa asked in a tone that made clear she didn´t believe for just a second that her clones truly had talked to the humans. Before the clone even had a chance to answer her question she demanded: „Let me talk to them."

The clone took the devise that was projecting Gallaxhessa´s head and shoved it over to the hole, so she was right in front of it. When Tucker saw the new alien he started to shoot again. He was quiet surprised when his bullets didn´t have any effect on that thing.

„Stop that." Monger ordered. „Its just a picture."

„A pitcher?" Tucker cried in disbelieve. „Aa ya kidden me? Thaats-a freakin alien head."

„Humans." Gallaxhessa called them. „Ginormica." She hesitated and mumbled: „Though that name doesn´t really fit you anymore does it? Anyway. I know you are in there. I think it quiet cowardly of you that you are hiding in there. I told you what I want. If you surrender and come peacefully with my clones, your human friends have nothing to fear from me. All I want is the Quantonium."

„She thinks Susan is with us." Bryce whispered. Monger just nodded. „Then we should not disappoint her, should we?" Bryce stated.

„Wha-you mean, Boss?" Tucker wanted to know.

„The only reason why they didn´t attack us is because they think, we have what they want." Bryce explained. „We need to stall some time. Giving Josh and the others time to get some help."

„How are we supposte to stall?" Monger wanted to know.

Bryce turned to his soldiers that were waiting in the back of the bank. He waved to a female Lieutenant. She was in her late twenties had a dark teint and black heir. Bryce knew her for three years now since she had been transfered to Quantico. She got up and hurried over to them.

„Kayleigh." he addressed her. „Call out for them that you won´t come out. No matter what."

„What if they know the difference of the voice?" Kayleigh asked.

„Just do it."

The young Lieutenant licked her lips and then opened her mouth. „I´m not coming out!" she cried.

„Don´t be stupid, Susan." Gallaxhessa replied. Bryce nodded encouraging at Kayleigh to go on. They had bought the deception.

„You know that earlier or later we´ll get to you." Gallaxhessa told them. „And if you remember: I still have your friend Link. If you don´t want him to get hurt you should come out now."

„Forget it you crazy chick!" Kayleigh cried.

Monger, Bryce and Tucker looked at her with asking faces. She just shrugged. „I improvised."

Tucker gave her a look. „Nice." he said with a slow nod.

Gallaxhessa looked through the hole estimating. When she got no more answers she shook her head in disappointment. „Then you are responsible for everything that happens to your friend." she said and switched off her transmission.

B.O.B. looked with a big kid´s eye at Monger. The general didn´t know how to answer the unspoken question. They had already lost the Doc. Now it was Link´s life that was on the line. He looked away so he wouldn´t have to look into that pleading eye. But the only result he got was that he meet the gaze of his old friend Bryce. He looked at him completely sympathizing. And somehow that was even worse.

„Where is the fire?"

Ahead Alisha could hear some of the guys calling for each other. All she knew was that someone had started to cry out that something was burning and after the last experience they had had with a fire she was on the edge at once. She could see some flickering light. Then there was a fizzing sound and she could smell smoke.

„Safe." someone cried just a moment before she reached the corner and could see for herself that the fire had been put out. As it seemed it had been just a small one. A burning old chair.

„Check the area." she ordered already looking around herself. But after a few seconds she left the checking to the men and approached the chair instead. Its remains were black and smoking. But the more important thing was what was behind it. There was a freaking hole in the wall they had build up themselves. Or better yet, Susan Murphy had build it. This part was one chunk of debris that she had put there. And Alisha was sure that this hole hadn´t been there when she did this. Susan hadn´t overlooked something like that. Still, the hole was there. And it wasn´t a hole that had been busted. It looked like it was a cut hole. She looked closer at the inside of it and it looked like melted metal. Carefully she touched it. It was cold. So it was a while ago. But there was no question about the fact that this hole had been, yeah, burned through the stone.

„I´d say that was a laser." Drake´s voice made her jump. He looked at her with raised not existing eyebrows. „I think now we know how the aliens came in." he said.

Alisha frowned. „Yeah." she said. „But the aliens didn´t lit this chair."

She looked down on that smoking heap of burned wood. Something was odd about all of this. This fire right in front of this hole. Like a beacon. But for who? Or what? She wished there was softer ground here instead of concrete. That way they could see some footprints of whatever had come by here. But whatever it was. It seemed as if it had slipped out through that hole. Alisha just wasn´t sure if that was good news or bad news.

Eventually the men she had send out to check the perimeter came back and reported that they hadn´t found anything. If there had been anyone or anything it was gone by now.

Alisha nodded. „Seal that hole." she ordered. „We don´t want any more to come through it."

* * *

**Well, seems like something´s on the loose now. See ya next week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	37. Chapter 37 The Next Step

**Hello friends. Back again and fresh like the death. Well, sort of.**

**Claws: Come on don´t tell me you wouldn´t enjoy this hunger. I know you love it. That´s why we all come back again and again.**

**Joy: Nice to hear from you again. Just stay a little longer then you might find out what the fires are about.**

**With this in mind - Lets go on.**

* * *

**The next step**

When they came to him with the knifes in their hands, he first thought that he was done. Thats it. She changed her mind. Figured out she doesn´t need me anymore. Get rid of me. He even started to wonder what he could have done wrong, if he had said anything to offend her. Sometimes women were offended by things a guy just didn´t even noticed. But then they didn´t use the knifes to kill him at all. Instead they cut loose the ropes that had bound him to the chair. They fell down to the ground with a sloppy sound like dead snakes. Link massaged his wrists still uncertain what the whole thing was supposte to mean. One of the aliens activated the projector and showed him Gallaxhessa´s face.

„What is that?" he asked her. „You letting me go?"

„Not quiet yet." she said. „But I thought you might appreciate it to have some more elbowroom."

The aliens were still moving around him busily. In their hands they were holding devices, which they now placed on the floor.

„What are they doing?" he wanted to know.

„Just hold still for a moment." Gallaxhessa said. Link closed his eyes when the red light flashed over his face and then down his whole body.

„What the …?"

„I´ll explain later." Gallaxhessa promised. „For now I have work to do. I hope you understand that I can´t let you out of the sight of my clones yet. But I´m sure you´ll get along."

„W... Wait." Link cried. „What …?"

„I´m really sorry, Link, but I have work to do." she interrupted him gently. „This has to wait. Unless you made a decision you want to inform me about."

„That´s what I wanted to talk about." he affirmed and then quickly added: „I … I don´t say I say yes. I just … lets just say I would …" He was looking for the right words. „What would happen in this case?" he asked. „How would we go on?"

„Why, I already told you. I would ask you to talk to your friends. To tell them what I told you. To convince them that it would be better for all of us to work together. You could start with your friend the Cockroach."

„You know about his condition?" Link immediately asked when he was remembered on the Doc.

„As far as my clones informed me, the laser this man shot at him did damage to his nerve system." Gallaxhessa explained. „Don´t worry, we can repair it. It´ll just need some time. So far he is sleeping." Following an intuition, she suggested: „I could instruct my clones to inform you directly as soon as he wakes up. What would you say to that? It takes far too much time to always run it through me first. I guess it would be better for him to hear your voice as often as possible. Don´t they say it supports the healing process?"

„Yeah, I guess so." Link said stunned.

She nodded. „I tell my clones to call you as soon as he wakes up." she promised.

„Thanks." he said still reluctantly.

She gave him a smile. „I sure hope he´ll be all right soon." she said. „I never had any grudge against you monsters." She waited for a response from him. When he didn´t give any she simply said: „We talk again soon." and switched off the channel.

For a moment she just stood there at her console, thinking. He was still mistrusting her. She had seen it in his eyes. It was strange. Before, when he was still bound, he had looked different at her. It was as if she had not only cut the ropes but also some of the trust he had gained into her. Was that possible? It seemed so strange to think about something like that. It didn´t make any sense. Why should he lose trust because she didn´t bind him any longer? But that was what she´d seen in his face.

She shook the thoughts off her mind. Why was that bothering her so much anyway? He was still her prisoner. Her clones wouldn´t let him go. And she had more important things to do right now. There was still an amount of Quantonium to get to. She took a device from the console and got herself a tool. It was time to make a point.

...

The alien search party was approaching the city limits now. Somewhere around this area they had lost contact with the last party. Whatever had happened to them had to have happened here. Therefor the four clones were looking around very carefully now. They didn´t want to step in the same mess like their predecessors after all.

So far the streets were empty. At least they were deserted. There was a lot of garbage lying around and after the one robot had been destroyed there was a big mess in this area anyway. But there were no signs of any lifeforms around. At least none that were to be seen. The clones had activated their tracker though, to scan the area for movement. At least the periphery within a radius of five feet they would be certain about that it was clean. So far it was. They still expected to find the bodies of the last party every moment now. Probably killed by the human shotguns. Some of these annoying creatures were still around and hiding. They tried to fight them but there was no chance for them to succeed. As soon as they would find them, they would put an end to that disturbances they created.

The tracker started to beep.

„I have something." the clone that was holding it cried.

„What is it?" another one asked looking at the device.

„I can´t tell." the first clone answered with rolling eyes. „This thing doesn´t show pictures. Just movement."

„Yeah, I know that." the second clone replied insulted. „But it tells you how big it is. Maybe its just a small animal."

„No, its not. Its bigger than an animal."

„Maybe its a big animal." a third clone offered but was completely ignored.

„Sure it is a human." the second clone stated and took the laser canon it was carrying. „Where is it now?"

„Somewhere over there." the first clone said. „Behind that corner."

The second clone led the way, its gun ready to shoot as soon as the target would show itself. The others followed, also with their guns ready. Only the clone that carried the tracker didn´t take its gun. It was carrying the tracker after all.

„Wait." it cried. „Its moving."

„Of course its moving." the second clone replied annoyed.

„No, I mean its changing direction." the first clone explained. „I guess it knows we´re here."

The clones looked around unsure. Then they saw something rushing by, far too quickly for them to see it right, but that didn´t stop them from shooting at it. Their lasers blew up a newspaper box, smashed a window and cut through a row of parked cars. One of the cars started to howl and made one hell of a noise. The aliens covered their ears and moaned. One of them shot at the car again and the noise stopped.

„Stupid earth technology." it cursed.

„Did we hit it?" another one asked for the target they had been shooting at.

As if to answer the question something clattered behind them. The four aliens spun around but couldn´t see anything. The one with the tracker looked down on its devise again.

„Its right over there." it said and pointed at a car that was buried under a heap of rubble.

The first alien approached the car slowly, trying to spot something. „We know that you are there, human." it cried. „Come out and we will kill you quickly and painless."

Again there was a clattering, followed by some scratching sounds as if something was crawling over the debris. The trickling sound of falling dust completed the sound setting. The aliens stared at the heap, totally on the edge. The first one grabbed its gun tighter.

„Come out now or we have to melt down that chunk you´re hiding at." it cried.

When nothing happened it lost its patience and got ready to shoot. Just a second before it could pull the trigger, a movement at the heap made it stop. So the human had decided to come out after all, it thought and waited until it could see the whole figure. It was not exactly what it had expected though. But that didn´t matter. The clone gave an evil smile. Then it just pulled the trigger and shot.

But instead of being hit and flying backwards like a good target was ought to, the laser seemed to have no effect at all. The alien looked down on its weapon in disbelieve and raised the power. When still nothing happened the other clones joined in with their lasers too. All but the one that was still holding the tracker that was. It was about to put it away and take its own gun too, when suddenly something happened. Instead of killing the target they were aimed at, the lasers seemed to turn around and send their burning heat right back into the canons they were coming from. The three aliens looked down at their weapons in disbelieve, while the material already started to glow reddish. Since they didn´t know how else to react to that they just kept shooting trying to get the lasers to do their work after all.

They better hadn´t. Because one second after their guns had started to glow the laser beams they fired seemed to come to life. Now they really turned around. Like an animal they jumped off the intended target and at the aliens that had shot it. There even was a fuzzing sound in the air when it happened, like the snarl of a predator. The three aliens had barely time to open their mouths for a scream, when the flaming beams had already hit them, burning them down to three heaps of ashes almost instantly. The fourth alien who stood farthest from the group threw its gun away, before it could decide to blow up as well and ran. It ran as fast as it could, to get as far away from that place as possible.

While running it took out its communicator and reported what had just happened. Not that any of the aliens on the other end of the line could have understood what all this was supposte to mean. Since when were laser beams able to just turn around? It was a technical and physical impossibility. Instead of reporting ridiculous things the clone should try to find out what was really going on.

Being instructed so, the clone went on. It went on and made its way through the streets, always looking around when there was a sound. Since it had not only lost its gun but also the tracker, it had no idea where it was or what was around. Was this strange thing following? Would it try to burn it too?

Eventually it reached a wall, that seemed to be completely out of rubble. That had to be the wall the last party had reported. They had said they´d cut a hole into it with their lasers to get to the other side. This hole couldn´t be far away. Somewhere along this strange looking wall. The clone started to round it but when it finally found something that looked like a laser-cut hole it had to learn that it had been sealed from the inside. Something really strange was going on here, that was for sure. It took out its communicator again, to report this found, when a shot rang out. The alien clone dropped to the ground and was dead.

„What´s up, Al?" Alisha cried up to Perez who was on his post at the lookout.

„I just shot an alien." he reported down to her. „It tried to creep in here through the hole we plugged."

„Are there any more?" Alisha asked alarmed.

„I can´t see any." he answered. „But I keep my eyes open, you bet your ass."

„You all do that." Alisha yelled over to the other guards. „As far as these things are concerned we can be sure that there is always more than just one."

But of course there shouldn´t be any more aliens. At least not at the time being. The rest of the aliens group had been neatly vaporized only a few streets before they had reached the wall.

...

The team around Major Stanton that had almost reached the FBI headquarter in the inner city, was facing much more aliens. Way more aliens. It seemed as if the deeper they got into the city the more aliens were around in the streets. No wonder those civilians they had been coming for to begin with had called for help. It became harder and harder for the small group of Marines to stay hidden and still move on. Most of the time they walked over the roofs but sometimes there was just no other way but to get down into the streets to get to the next building. The last time they had almost run into an alien patrol. Just one second slower and they would have been spottet. When they were on the roof and sure they hadn´t been followed, Stanton demanded a short stop.

„Man, that was close." one of his men exhaled.

„Yeah, too close." Stanton agreed. „Myers. Go and check the streets ahead. I want to be sure we´re running in no more patrols before we go on."

The addressed man saluted shortly and left. Stanton addressed another man. „Dan, how far is it to that damn building? Are we there any time soon?"

„Not much farther." Dan Aprons answered and pointed over Stanton´s shoulder. „I think it should be somewhere over …"

In this moment they heard shooting and spun around. It was definitely an MP and it was somewhere in the direction Aprons had just pointed at. Judging the sound it was still another quarter ahead. The sound was carrying.

„Well, I guess thats them." Stanton said.

Myers came back to them running. „Did you hear that?" he asked.

„Yes." Stanton said. „All right, thats it. Get ready. We move in."

The group started to move. They crossed the roof and climbed up a little landing to reach the next one. When they were halfway across this roof, Stanton noticed something in the corner of his eye. Something in the sky. He turned around without really planning to stop but when he saw what it was he slowed down. It was the projection again. Gallaxhessa´s head, huge and in 3D, hovering over the city. The others had noticed it too and one after the other his whole group stopped and stared over at the huge picture.

From somewhere down in the streets they heard some aliens cry out: „Hail Gallaxhessa."

The nine of them instinctively went down to their knees. But the aliens were far away, probably three streets from their position. The sound was carrying.

„This is your last chance, Susan." Gallaxhessa said now. She was looking into another direction though, not at them. „Surrender yourself now." Gallaxessa demanded. After a moment she said: „Are you sure that this is your last word?" A moment. „Well, you disappoint me."

„Who is she talking to?" Susan whispered.

„Obviously the Boss found a way to convince her that you´re in the bank with them." Stanton said. „If I had to guess I´d say Kayleigh. Her voice sounds similar to yours."

„I really thought you´d care more about your friend." Gallaxhessa said now and the next moment another projection appeared next to hers. A picture of the Missing Link.

„Link." Susan whispered worried.

Stanton immediately made a gesture to keep her from standing up. „You can´t do anything." he reminded her. It worked to hold her back. For the moment.

„Come out now, Susan, or your friend will pay for your cowardice." Gallaxhessa said and after another moment, she said: „As you wish."

The picture of Link was hit by a laser at the arm and started to cry out in pain. Stanton swirled around and grabbed Susan just in time to keep her from jumping up and running headless to save someone that wasn´t even there. But there were aliens in the street not far away and if she should try to surrender herself to them … he could´t allow that.

„No." he hissed at her but she struggled and threw him to the ground.

The other Marines came upon her and tried to hold her back. It didn´t help. She was too strong for them and in her worry about her friend she didn´t think about how strong she was compared to them. Two of the men flew straight ahead and would probably have fallen off the roof if it hadn´t been for the balustrade. The others were just shoved backwards but they fell to the ground anyway. Susan noticed that she had forgotten herself and hesitated. This short hesitation was over when she heard Links scream again. But it had been long enough for Stanton to get to his feet again. He was now standing in her way, aiming at her with his gun.

„No." he repeated his order. „You stay."

„You wanna shoot me?" she asked him not believing it. She attempted to keep going and he cocked his gun.

„I wouldn´t tempt it." he said. „You might be strong but I don´t think that you´re bullet proved."

Susan tried to stare him down but the second scream of Link when he was hit by another laser made it impossible for her to keep up a straight face. Instead he looked pleading at Stanton.

„I´m sorry." he said sternly. „But I can´t allow that you give her the Quantonium."

„Your friend can´t take much more of this, Susan." Gallaxhessa said now. „Its your last chance to save him."

Stanton made a gesture with his gun that spoke more than a thousand words. He wouldn´t let her go.

„You won´t shoot me." she said.

„Believe me I will." he replied. „Surrendering you is the only thing I can´t allow to happen. And if you make me, I will make sure that the aliens never get the Quantonium … by destroying it."

Susan almost couldn´t believe what she heard. She remembered that Stanton had overheard the aliens say, that if she died the Quantonium would vanish. But that had been just a heartless information so far. Until now.

„You would kill me, to prevent the aliens getting the Quantonium?" she asked in disbelieve.

„My first duty is earth." Stanton replied. He kept aiming at her. Sweat was running down his face. Still he didn´t even blink.

„Come out or I will kill him!" Gallaxhessa cried now getting angry. When still nothing happened she lost her patience and almost snapped at her clones that were with the Link: „Kill him!"

Stanton´s head unintentionally switched around for a second. He immediately realized the mistake he´d made and turned back just in time to see Susan running at him. He reacted by instinct and pulled the trigger. He hit her in the chest and she fell down, mostly by pure shock. She tried to stand up again, grabbing the dart that stuck in her chest and removed it. But it was too late. She was already feeling dizzy. Swaying and fighting for her balance, she heard Link scream again. Longer this time and much more painful. Then his scream just stopped. Susan tried to look up at the projection but her vision was already blurring. If it was the drugs or her own tears she didn´t know. Then she lost consciousness.

She didn´t hear Gallaxhessa´s angry shout anymore: „This is your fault, Susan, I hope you know that. You could have stopped that. You could have saved your friends life." Then the projection went down and everything was quiet again.

Stanton looked at his men and then down at Susan, a painful sting in his chest. This was why he hated war. It just costed far too much.

In the bank Monger was clinging painfully into the counter in front of him. B.O.B.´s crying next to him was the only sound he heard in this silence that had followed the projection. This and the shocked breathing of Kayleigh who sat on the floor with her back pressed against the counter after she had been forced to keep up an act that had resulted in the death of another creature.

A hand lay down on Monger´s shoulder. He didn´t need to look up to know that it was Bryce. He couldn´t look up anyway. His eyes refused to leave that empty space in the sky where he had seen the Link being executed. And he hadn´t been able to do anything but watch it happen. He just couldn´t believe it. How could it have come so far?

...

In her robot Gallaxhessa hit the console with both of her fists in anger and frustration. She had really done it. Susan. She had really allowed that her friend was killed. This human carrier was no better than all the others. Gallaxhessa had believed, truly believed that as soon as she would threat her with killing the Link, a creature she had claimed to be her friend, that she would surrender. She hadn´t done it. She had watched him being hurt and suffering agonizing pain and yet she hadn´t come out.

Gallaxhessa was angry. She hadn´t even intended to go all the way through this act but this stubborn refuse of the carrier to come out, had made her snap. So she had ordered to kill him and still Susan hadn´t come out. Once given an order she had not been able to go back from there. That would have shown weakness and that was something she couldn´t allow. So she had finished the act. They had made her finish the act and that thought made her angry again. Because that also meant she had nothing left to put pressure on the carrier. She surely couldn´t tell them that it had been an act. And that made her even angrier.

For a nanosecond she considered trying to put pressure on the carrier with the other monster, the Cockroach. But then she dismissed the thought. If it hadn´t worked with the Link why should she care about the Cockroach? Oh, Gallaxhessa was so angry. No more than angry. She was furious. She had really believed that she would come out to save her friend. She had believed it because he had made her believe it. He had believed it.

In her rage she hammered her fist down on the button and called her clones in Las Vegas. She didn´t need to demand talking to him. His face appeared at the screen right away, looking at her asking, obviously expecting some news about his friend the Cockroach. Now that was real concern. Seeing this increased Gallaxhessa´s fury again and every thought of talking to him subtle during this whole negotiation was forgotten and replaced by pure anger. She had faked the projection of him but the carrier hadn´t known that. For her and all the other humans Gallaxhessa had really killed their friend.

„I just wanted to let you know that your pretty little friend Susan, just let me kill you." she snapped at Link, before he even had a chance to say a word.

He blinked at her confused. „What?" he asked.

„I threatened to kill you to make her surrender." Gallaxhessa explained, still furious. „I faked a projection of you to make it believable. They just WATCHED while I pretended to torture you. They watched you die, Link! I don´t know why you still defend those creatures and call them your friends. They obviously give a damn about you!"

She stared at him for another moment, a moment in which he tried to take in these words and especially this outburst of her. At the end of her speech she had literally yelled at him. When he didn´t find any words, she just hit the button again and switched off the channel. She just didn´t want to hear anything now. There was nothing left to say. She had seen everything she had needed to see. And she had really started to believe him that there were some exceptions amongst humans. She should have known better. She should have known better.

She felt a tear roll out of her eye and wiped it away angrily. No, she thought. This wasn´t over yet. She had just started. They wouldn´t get away that easy. Eventually she would get them. And the Quantonium. She would make them all pay. Again there was a tear and Gallaxhessa hit the panel before her in frustration. She leaned over it, her head hanging low and just cried. Oh, how much she hated them. Now even more than ever before. They were all the same. All of them. There simply were no exceptions. They had just proved that.

...

It was cool and dark in the water. The little pool he had jumped in after the humans had chased him through this strange woods, was not his home planets ocean, but it was enough to hide in after he had suffered the loss of his mistress´ ship and with it of everything he knew was home estate for him. After the humans had landed he had been angry. He would have killed them if he would have had a chance to do so. But then they had started shooting and the anger was replaced by pure fright. The instinct of survival had taken over and when he had found this little body of water he had jumped in and hidden, not daring to come out again. Maybe the humans were waiting for him outside.

He was scared. This was a strange place and he was alone. The only familiar feeling he had been able to find, had been this place in the water. And there he was hiding. Only that now he wasn´t hiding just before those humans any longer. There were strange creatures in the water that scared him as well. They had been here before he came but they had been sleeping. Now they were awake and swimming around. They were big with extremities that were something between legs and fins and they made strange croaking sounds to each other.

The Crock-Dog felt deep down that they were related, cold blooded like him but they were still different. And they were bigger than him, what meant they could hurt him. So he stayed put. Always hoping that they wouldn´t notice him, that they wouldn´t decide that he would be a good snack. After a while he had got used to them swimming around. But then they changed. They had grown bigger, their fin-legs had become complete legs and now they were huge.

And then all the sudden they all turned around as if one of them had called the others together and they swam to the edge of the pool. They were leaving. Despite his fear the Crock-Dog´s curiosity took over. After a short hesitation he attempted to follow them. Just to see where they were going. He would keep a save distance though.

Slowly he surfaced the water and peeked out. The creatures were sitting and hoping around at the edge of the lake now, sometimes croaking to each other. They looked around as if they didn´t know the area very well. As if they hadn´t discovered it yet, and were in the process to do so right now. The Crock-Dog became more curious. He swam to the edge and watched them for a while, still safely hidden halfway under water. Only his head was looking out. He didn´t move. If one of them should look in his direction they would think of him as a rock.

After a while the creatures seemed to withdraw into the woods. The sounds of falling trees and cracking wood filled the area. The Crock-Dog wanted to see more and eventually decided to leave the water and carefully follow them. He sneaked over the grass and hurried over to a bush to hide behind it. From behind there he peeked over to the wood, where some of the creatures still sat. He had just gotten a better look at them when a sound from behind him made him flinch. He slowly turned around and looked up at the creature that had appeared in his back. It looked right back at him with its big amber eyes. Then it opened its mouth and croaked at him. He was surprised that the creature sounded confused.

* * *

**All right. After I confused you guys properly too, I´ll shut down for today. **

**And thanks for reading.**


	38. Chapter 38 Waking Up

**Hey there! *Waving***

**Claws: *wide grin* What can I say? I´m glad you enjoyed it. Hope your pillow will survive until the end of this story.**

**Joy: You want to know what Gallaxhessa will do next? Well. All I can say to that is ... read. You won´t regret it. *wink, wink***

* * *

**Waking up**

It was dark and shady and yet it wasn´t. There was a bright uncomfortable light but it wasn´t really blinding her. Susan had no idea why until she realized that her eyes were still closed. Maybe it was because her head was still spinning. And this despite the fact that she was sure she was lying on the ground. How could the room spin around you when your eyes were closed and you lay on the floor? But it did. She groaned, tried to open her eyes but closed them again when the light penetrated her pupils.

„She´s waking up." someone said. It sounded as if the voice was in another room.

„Wait for it." another voice answered. Then a little closer: „Careful."

She heard a clicking sound and wondered for a moment what it had been. Then she opened her eyes again and understood that it had been a gun. The Marines she had been with, were standing around her in a wide circle, some of them aiming at her. Despite their grim posture, the look in their faces was a complete different one. They didn´t want to aim their guns at her. They simply believed that they had no other choice. She could have killed some of them when she had struggled with them and they had not forgotten that. Unfortunately Susan´s memory was not as fast as theirs. She´d just woken up from a drug-induced sleep after all.

Major Stanton cowered before her, waiting for her to come by. He didn´t aim his gun at her. He didn´t needed to. His men were watching them closely.

Susan blinked again. „What happened?" she asked confused.

„I had to take you out." Stanton explained. „I´m sorry, but you left me no choice."

Now Susan started to remember. Now she recalled why she was lying on the floor with this spinning head, surrounded by heavy armed Marines who were obviously afraid that she could try to attack them. When the memory came back to her, her heartbeat increased rapidly. Her head jerked around and she searched the sky for what her mind knew that it wasn´t there anymore.

„Don´t." Stanton said empathizing. „Its over. There is nothing you can do about it."

Susan felt a sting in her heart. She remembered what happened. She remembered his cries. His death screams. And she remembered Stanton. The gun he had aimed at her to keep her from stopping it. Now she turned to him, her anger clearly written all over her face.

„I know what you want to say." Stanton said matter of factly before she had a chance to accuse him.

„Do you?" she asked cynical.

„Yes." he replied sternly, not blinking under her stare. „I´m sorry about your friend but I have a duty to fulfill. We all have, Miss Murphy."

„I could have saved him." she cried.

„You don´t know that." Stanton replied. „They would have killed him anyway. The only thing you can be sure about is that if you had given yourself up, you would have given them what they needed to finally conquer this planet. To defeat our resistance and enslave human race forever. And I don´t even want to talk about, how many of us they would kill first just to make sure to truly brake our resistance. These are the things I had to consider, Miss Murphy. And I want you to understand that before you dare to judge what I have done." He stood up from his cowering position and stood before her. „I lost friends in this war too, Miss Murphy." he said. „My own wife and child are somewhere in this city. I don´t know if they are okay. But I accept the possibility that they are not because this battle is about a greater cause. Its about earth. The whole goddamn human race."

Susan was shocked when she realized that his voice had started to brake. There was something glistening in his eyes. But he was keeping his stern face nevertheless. No tear would roll down this soldiers cheeks. Not as long as he could stop it. And all the sudden Susan felt herself reminded on another argument she had had with a soldier like him, about a similar theme not long ago in the cockpit of an alien saucer.

„_Dammit, you think this is easy for me?"_ he had yelled at her after she had demanded to turn around to save her parents instead of going on with the plan to infiltrate the alien ship. _„My family is down there as well!" _he had said._ „In this very city! Don´t you think, I would like to go down to check out if they are all right? There is nothing, I would like to do more. But I don´t, because I have __a duty to fulfill. A duty to the earth. The entire human race. And so do you. We all have." _

Now that she remembered that her own eyes began to fill with tears. She wanted to cry. For Monger, for Link, for Dr. Cockroach, her parents and oh so many others that had died and suffered today. But she didn´t allow herself to give way for the tears. Neither did Stanton. He made a hissing sound of anger and turned his back on her, probably to keep himself from getting weak. The other Marines lowered their guns. The tension was gone. Now there was only grief. And regret. A lot of regret.

Susan clung her hands to the ground as if she was afraid of losing halt. After a minute or so she managed it to get halt of herself again. She looked up at Stanton. His gaze was still hard and in some way even hurt and accusing. But he didn´t say anything. She wanted to say something but just didn´t know what. Eventually Stanton looked around and sharply sucked some air through his nose.

„The shooting we´ve heard has stopped." he stated. „But that doesn´t mean that the perimeter is save. We have to assume that the aliens are still close. They probably watch the building."

„By now they will know that someone is hiding at the FBI´s." Myers agreed.

Stanton nodded but he didn´t look at Myers. He looked at Susan. She was still lying on the floor.

„Can you walk?" he asked her.

She sniffed briefly before she was able to answer his question with a nod. He mirrored the nod.

„Can you fight?" he asked her.

„I think so." she answered. Though her head was still a little dizzy, she had started to feel better. Clearer.

„Good." was all he said. He turned to his men and gave some simple instructions to them, giving Susan the time to get to her feet. When she managed it to stand he turned back to her, a checking look on his face.

„Don´t worry about me." she dismissed the unspoken question. „I´m fine." Her tone was harsh.

Stanton just nodded again.

„All right." he said, addressing not only her but all of his team. „Let´s move. The FBI headquarter is only one quarter ahead. Let´s go. And be ready. We don´t know what we will face when we get there."

His men grabbed their guns, their faces rigid and determined. Stanton saluted them and they answered his salute. Then they just turned and started to move. Stanton threw a look over his shoulder to make sure Susan would come too. She was coming.

„Just one more thing, Major." she said before they joined the others. He waited. „If you ever aim a gun at me again …" she said. „You better really intent to shoot me."

He hold her gaze without blinking. „I did." he said. „And next time … it won´t be a dart."

With that he turned around and followed his men. He didn´t look back at her.

...

Outside in the country, somewhere in the middle of a field, Gallaxhessa sat on the top of her robot. She had needed to get out, to have a lungful of fresh air. To get her head free. She hadn´t cried in years, not even when she had gotten the message of Gallaxhar´s death. She had almost believed that she had forgotten how to do it, that she had become incapable of crying. But now she had cried and it had been forceful, as if a dam had broken inside of her. It had left her weak and with a feeling of emptiness. How was something like that possible? She didn´t even know why she had cried. Not really. She had been angry, yes. But that was no reason for crying. Not really. Or was it? Maybe it would be if she just knew why she had been so angry in the first place.

Why, because of the carrier of course. Because she had denied to give herself up. To give her, Gallaxhessa, the Quantonium. And because of her coldness. This lower lifeform had sacrificed her friend for her own sake. Not that Gallaxhessa had expected anything else. Not really. Oh, who was she kidding? Of course she had expected something different. If she hadn´t she wouldn´t have tried it. But this … Now they better didn´t expect any mercy from her any longer. Because she wouldn´t show any more. Not after this. She would …

Something caught her eye. A movement in the distance. And a familiar sound. Faint. Very faint but it was there. She was sure of it. But that was impossible. She stood up and strained her four eyes to see what it was. There in the distance, right where the trees began. Something was there.

As fast as she could she went down into her robot and activated her screen. The machines brought the treeline closer to her and enabled her to see what was there. When she saw the picture, she almost couldn´t believe it. It was her Crock-dog that came running at her. He was alive. She had no idea how that was possible and how he had found her but it was him. And he was really here.

She swirled around and rushed into her elevator to get down to the ground. Her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest. When the doors opened and she stepped out the Crock-dog had already reached the huge legs of her robot. For a moment she saw him running at her, his mouth open and his tongue hanging out. The same way she had seen him running at her when they had played with the speed balls back at her home planet. Then he was at her, jumping up into her arms, his tail wagging happily behind him. She couldn´t believe it. She just couldn´t believe that he was really here. Her loyal little friend. She embraced him eagerly and for a moment she was crying again. Only this time she cried because she was happy.

„Where do you come from?" she asked him but of course he couldn´t give her an answer. She didn´t need an answer. She was just happy to have him back. Just that she could see his rolling eyes again when she fondled his head was more than she could have wished for.

Before she knew it she had started to laugh and play with him. That was until she noticed another movement in the distance. There where the Crock-dog had come from. But this one was much bigger than him. When he noticed her stare, he turned around and then made a happy sound to her. She knew that sound. He wanted to show her something. But this couldn´t be. Those creatures that now started to come from the woods were too strange. She started to back up without noticing it.

Her Crock-dog on the other hand seemed not a bit afraid of those big animals. He even started to run back for them. She jumped when she saw this and tried to call him back, but he wouldn´t stop. No, he obviously wasn´t afraid of them. Usually a sign for Gallaxhessa to know that they were harmless. But something about those animals made her afraid anyway. She tried not to be but she was scared. She didn´t know what they were and that was scary. She went back into her elevator and up into her robot. On the screens she could see her Crock-dog how he ran back and forth between those strange animals as if they were his best friends. The creatures seemed not to mind him being there. Though they were mostly busy with each other.

Gallaxhessa took a moment to think it over. What was she supposte to do now? She had no idea what they were and even more important, how they were. Were they aggressive creatures that could be dangerous? They might not seem aggressive now but her Crock-dog was a predator too when his instincts told him so. She couldn´t take their passive behavior they were showing now for granted. She had to make sure. And she knew how she could do that. She might not know this planets fauna but she knew someone who did.

She opened a channel to Las Vegas and demanded her clones to get the Link on the line.

„He is talking to the other prisoner right now." her clone informed her. „But I´ll get him."

„No." she stopped her clone. „No, its all right. Let them talk. I wait. Tell him I want to talk to him when he is ready."

...

„Link?" Dr. Cockroach asked for the third time now. He was still confused and it hurt Link to see him that way.

„Yeah, Doc." he said trying to talk steady. „Its me."

„What are you doing here?" the Doc asked.

Link sighed heavily. „I´m not there with you." he tried to explain. „I´m just a projection. I mean … what you see is a projection."

„I know that." Dr. C snapped. „I meant are you here in Massachusetts?"

„Oh." Link said. „Ehm, no, I´m in Vegas."

„Vegas?"

„Yeah. Las Vegas. We came here with the army. Butter and Toady and I."

„Toady?"

„Toadagantua." Link gave him the full name the government had given to her. The Doc blinked thoughtful for a moment but then he seemed to just dismiss that question.

„How did they catch you?" he asked Link instead.

„That …" Link started but cut himself off, not sure how to answer that question without embarrassing himself too much.

„How did you get them to let you talk to me?" the Doc just went on asking.

„Actually that was her idea." Link explained.

„Her?"

„Gallaxhessa."

„You talked to her?" the Doc asked wide eyed. „She is still alive?"

„Yeah." Link confirmed. He more and more got the feeling that he was lying to his friend by keeping the whole truth from him. All the facts that were there and that the Doc didn´t know. And why the hell did this make him feel like a traitor?

The Doc had closed his eyes. His head was moving around on his rest in desperation. He almost looked as if he was crying.

„Listen Doc." Link tried to say something.

„We almost had her." the Doc whined. „We destroyed her ship. All for nothing."

Link didn´t know what to say about this. He felt more and more uncomfortable in this situation. But he didn´t get a chance to say anything anyway.

„What did they do to you?" the Doc asked him angrily his head snapping up again.

„Nothing." Link said startled. „Listen … There is something I need to tell you."

„We need to stop her Link." the Doc cried, not listening to what he said.

Now Link really didn´t know what to say. It was obvious that he wouldn´t get through to him. Not as long as he was in this state, half fantasizing and delusional. Link sighed.

„I think you should rest, pal." he said. „You´re not recovered yet."

„Link." the Doc cried excited. „When the guards talk, listen to what they say. We might gain some useful information with that."

„Don´t worry about that." Link replied with a sad tone. „I´ll handle that. Just … rest."

The Doc lay his head back but his eyes stayed open. There was a look in his eyes that worried Link. He looked like a haunted man. Like a crazy guy in a mental hospital. The fact that he was lying on this altar, still unable to move more than his head, almost looking like an immobilized patient, didn´t help to improve this impression. Link wanted to say something but he couldn´t think of anything appropriate. So he decided to just switch off the channel, hoping that the Doc would respond better to him next time he talked to him.

He had just switched off the channel when one of his alien guards came to him.

„Gallaxhessa wants to talk to you." it informed him. Link sighed. He wasn´t sure if he wanted to talk to her right now. Not after this. And certainly not since he didn´t know in what mode she might be now, remembering the last time she had called. But then he followed the clone over to the table anyway. Gallaxhessa was already waiting for him there, in form of that floating projection he had already gotten used to by now.

„How is your friend?" she asked when she saw his face. It was obvious how desperately she tried to ignore the awkward feeling that was still there after their last talk. No matter how short it had been it still hung between them. Talking like nothing had happened felt odd.

„I don´t know." Link said, thoughtfully rubbing his neck. „He´s better I guess but …"

„What is it?" she asked.

„Well, I´m not sure." he said. „I tried to talk to him about … you know. I think he is delusional. He doesn´t understand what I´m saying."

„He will." she assured him but even in her own ears it didn´t sound quiet convinced. She was really just saying this so she was saying anything. This kind of talk had never been easy for her. She remembered that it had been like this after she and Gallaxhar had had an argument. Something she really didn´t want to remember.

„Ehm, listen, Link." she hurried to get back to the point and away from that uncomfortable memory. „The reason why I called you is … there are some creatures here that I don´t know. Maybe you could tell me what they are and if they are dangerous to my robot. I mean I can protect myself but … I´d prefer not to shoot some random animals just because I misjudge their behavoir. So far they keep their distance but …"

He nodded understanding. „Show me." he said.

She did. The first thing he saw was just the wood in the distance, the way he guessed Gallaxhessa saw it from her robot. But then the picture zoomed in and he could see them. They were sitting and occasionally jumping around near the treeline. He just couldn´t believe what he saw.

„Oh, my god." he gasped, leaning forward on the table. „These are Toady´s kids."

„Who?" Gallaxhessa asked.

„Toady." Link repeated. „She is … She came here with me and Butterflyosaurus. She said she lay her eggs in a lake. And that she was worried your aliens would hurt them."

„I see." Gallaxhessa mused. „So that was _her_ reason to fight me, was it?"

Link didn´t give a response to that. They had had this talk already. So this time he just looked at her.

„Anyway." she said and dismissed the subject. „Do you have any idea what they will do?"

„Ehm, I´m afraid not really." he admitted. „I mean they are not your enemies."

„Of course, I know that." she said and it sounded earnest enough for him. „I´m more afraid about what they might think that _I_ am."

Link looked at the screen and the young frogs he saw there. It had to be at least a dozen of them. He still couldn´t believe it. „How many are they?" he wanted to know.

„My computer counts fourteen." Gallaxhessa informed him.

„Fourteen." he repeated completely stunned. After a moment he shook his head. „Where did they come from?" he asked.

„It seems my Crock-dog led them here." Gallaxhessa told him.

„Your what?"

„He´s my pet. Its unbelievable. I thought he was dead. I thought he died when my ship exploded."

„Then … how did he come here?" Link asked, a little startled about the joyful tone Gallaxhessa had taken on all the sudden.

„I don´t know, but isn´t it great?" she cheered. „I already had him when I was a squidling."

Link couldn´t help himself but smiled at her excitement. That was an interesting new side of her that he hadn´t expected to see. Not unpleasant though. It gave her something he didn´t know to put any other way but with the word human. When she noticed his reaction, she cleared her throat to regain her posture.

„Maybe I can comunicate with them." she suggested. „Tell them that I´m no danger to them so they will leave me alone. Do you know how I can do that?"

„Well, thats tricky." he said rubbing his neck. „Usually no one understands their language. So far I always was the only one who could talk to them."

„Well, perfect." she stated. „Would you do that for me?"

„How?" he asked. „I´m here. They are there."

„I project you outside." she explained. „Thats quiet simple. Will you do it?"

Link hesitated. He knew that as soon as he would agree to do something for her, even something that was only partly for her, would somehow make them partners. It wouldn´t oblige himself to anything but it would mark a change in their relationship anyway. He wasn´t sure if it was a good idea to risk that. No matter what, he would have helped her. He would have helped the enemy if you wanted to put it that way. But it was about Toady´s kids. And Gallaxhessa was right. If they would decide to attack her they would force her to defend herself. He just couldn´t allow that. He owed it to Toady. So he agreed to the request. He would have to find a way to deal with the consequences later.

Gallaxhessa thanked him and made some changes in the projector calibrations. After a few minutes she told him that he could speak. His head would be projected on the outside of her robot now. He had no choice but to believe her. For him the picture of the field still looked the same.

He cleared his throat. „Hey." he called out. „Hallo you guys. Over here."

He could see the young frogs turning around to him at the sound of his voice. So they had heard them.

„Listen." he said. „I need to talk to you. Could you … could you come closer for a second?"

The frogs looked at each other uncertain for a moment. But then they seemed to agree that there was no harm in just doing what he asked them to and to hear what he had to say. So they came jumping over at the robot and gathered together around it.

„Hey." Link greeted them again. „My name is Link. Ehm. I know your mother."

The young frogs looked at him with surprised eyes. Some of them opened their mouths and gave a loud croak.

„No." Link said. „No, she can´t come to you. She´s too far away. But I´ll tell her that you all are okay. She was very worried about you."

They croaked again. Eagerly.

„No." Link cried. „No, thats not a good idea. Listen. Its the best you just stay where you are right now. You´re safe there. Just … stay there and don´t go near any cities or something like that. Oh and … this thing here behind me. Don´t touch it. I´ll need that to talk to you so don´t damage it, ok?"

Another croak. This time affirmatively.

„Ok." he said, relieved. „I … I need to go now. I let your mom know that you all are ok and then … well, we´ll see. Just don´t go anywhere."

Another affirming croak.

„All right. See ya later then." He gave them a tiny wave and then he looked at Gallaxhessa´s image that was right next to him. She switched off the channel and the picture that showed him the field went down.

„That was very good, Link." she said. „Thank you."

He barely had heard her words. In his head there were a dozen thoughts at once.

„I need to tell Toady that her kids are alive." he said at last. „She needs to know."

Gallaxhessa frowned at this, surprised and yet not surprised at all that he wanted this. She lowered her gaze drawn to her own thoughts.

„Therefore you had to go outside." she finally said.

Link just looked at her, not saying anything. She seemed unsure.

„The … The streets are still dangerous." she said.

„Do you mean dangerous for me?" he asked. „Or dangerous because I could decide that I don´t want to come back?"

Her reaction to this question really surprised him. She seemed sad.

„No, Link." she said. „If you would decide not to come back, it would mean that I couldn´t convince you about my offer. And if I couldn´t convince you by now, then I won´t convince you ever, will I?" She looked at him with somehow regretful eyes when she added: „And that means there is no point in holding you hostage any longer."

His jaw dropped open when he heard this. Did she really just say that? He couldn´t believe it.

„So you …" he started but didn´t know if he could dare to finish the question. It wasn´t necessary though. She finished it for him.

„You are free to go." she said, still in this sad tone. „Tell your friend her children are all right. And that they don´t have anything to fear from me." When he still didn´t move or react or anything she gave him an encouraging smile. „Go." she said. „I won´t stop you."

Slowly he turned around, still looking at her projection in case there should be any change in her face that told him she was just kidding, or maybe testing him, or maybe … maybe he had just imagined her to say all this. Everything seemed more likely in this moment than the possibility that she really would let him go. But there was no change in her face. Only this strangely regretful expression.

He approached the door, watching the clones that had been his wardens closely, if they would try to stop him after all. But they did nothing like this. They had heard Gallaxhessa´s decision as well and they would do nothing to violate their mistress´ order. And in some way the clones´ lack of action made him finally believe that it was true. Because it meant that he hadn´t been the only one who heard the words. What meant it had to be real. He reached for the doorknob and opened it.

„Link." Gallaxhessa addressed him. „Just one more thing."

He turned back to her expecting everything from her changing her mind to a laser that would suddenly shoot at him. But neither of this happened. Instead he just looked into Gallaxhessa´s face that still hovered over the table, where the projecting device stood. It was strange how different all of this suddenly looked to him. As if he had just woken up from a dream.

„In case you should really decide not to come back." Gallaxhessa said now. „I really enjoyed talking to you."

For a moment he was just too stunned to give an answer to that. But then he managed a smile. „Same here." he said.

Gallaxhessa mirrored his smile and gave him a nod. He nodded at her too. They had come to an agreement at last. An unspoken one and certainly one that he couldn´t completely define if someone had asked him. But it was there nevertheless. After another moment he just turned around and left.

* * *

**Did I promise too much? If I did, sorry. If not, great. In that regard: See you next week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	39. Chapter 39 Free

**Hello and back again. **

**Special greetings to Suewe. Nice to have you back. I see you read a little fast last time. Just take your time and you´ll fill the holes. One question I can answer though. I already expected that some might have forgotten who Ariane is. She was the nurse back in Area 52, the one who helped Dr. C with his invention. She is also Alisha´s sister. Maybe that helps to clear her identity.**

**Claws: Its not weird its awesome that the music fitted. Now we even have soundtrack. Now if that isn´t cool. I also noticed that suddenly everybody seems to love the crock-dog. That _is_ somehow weird because it was actually meant as a really nasty beast. Well, where ever it goes I guess. I like him too.**

**So thats enough small talk for today. Let´s keep going with the story.**

* * *

**Free**

It was late forenoon, that at least was it what the light indicated. Not yet lunchtime but close, he guessed. It was funny. He had completely lost perception of time. Unbelievable that it had been just a few hours since they had captured him. Had it been dark then? Yes, it was. So it could be nine or ten hours. Not that much in fact but it had felt much longer. Maybe it was true. There were days that felt like weeks when it came to the bottom of it. And he definitely had reached the bottom. Only that it wasn´t over yet.

For the first few streets he had walked, he had still looked over his shoulder, expecting the aliens to follow him. But there had been no one. He was alone. They truly had let him go. Not that he had believed Gallaxhessa was lying. At least not as long as he had seen her face and was able to look into her eyes. They had been honest. But now that he was outside and retrieving from the place where they had hold him for so long, this impression seemed to fade and this little voice in his head wanted to convince him again that all this was too good to be true. That she would never just let him go and give up this ace she had in her sleeve. Hadn´t it been her plan all along to trade him for Susan?

But this plan had failed hadn´t it, he argued against this nasty voice. Yes, she had tried but Susan had not surrendered and Gallaxhessa had been furious about this. Not just because she hadn´t gotten the Quantonium. But also because Susan had allowed Link to get killed. He was sure that it had been this what had made her so angry. He might not be the best womanizer that was there on this planet but he got the hunches what an argument really was about when he heard them.

Yeah, she had tried to trick him, to trick Susan, to trick them all. But in this one point she had been honest. Maybe without noticing it herself. She had really started to care. She had listened to him at least as much as he had listened to her. It seemed at the end they had neutralized each others arguments with this. Neither of them had really been able to convince the other of his/her point of view. And now they were … where? At the same point where they had started? Certainly not. Things had changed. Too much had happened in this nine to ten hours. Too many things had been said, more had remained unspoken. He had no idea where they were now and where each of them would go from here, but it was definitely different than before.

But he couldn´t afford to think about this now. He had a mission now. He had to find Toady. Find her and let her know that her kids were alive and well. And when he had done that, he would have to face the soldiers again and … well, he guessed he would have to tell them where Gallaxhessa´s clones were hiding. Where they had hold him. It would feel like betraying her, he knew that. Hell it already did feel like betraying her. But it would be the only thing he could do. No matter what had happened, this one thing was still the same. He was still on the side of earth. And that meant on humans side, didn´t it?

Lets face it friends and neighbours. Gallaxhessa had been pretty convincing but he couldn´t seriously believe that she would change the whole course of earths society, could he? Could he? In what universe was it possibly imaginable that humans would stop ruling the world and monsters would take over instead? Not in his one for sure. They were so clearly outnumbered. No way.

Link peered around a corner and ducked back down when a group of aliens rushed by. On the other hand, he mused looking after them … But no, it was impossible. There were certain things in this world that were so profund that nothing could ever change them, no matter what. And the fact that humans ruled the world was one of them.

And he was so used to them after all these years that he just couldn´t wrap his mind around the possibility of any change in that rule. Humans were ruling the world, that was the way it was supposte to be. And that wasn´t that bad after all. They had started to accept him and his friends, hadn´t they? They had fought side by side when they had reached this city. Susan was human. Monger was human. Those were the thoughts he had to hold onto. He checked the street again and when he found it clear he crossed it.

If he just could remember the way better. But he´d never been in this city before. How the hell was he supposte to find the way back to where the soldiers had been? So far he had believed to head into the right direction but now … Everything looked the same to him. But then luck was with him and he spotted something between the buildings. Thank god Butterflyosaurus was so much bigger than anything else. And when he was there the others had to be close as well. So Link changed course and headed into that direction. He had to rush through a couple of backstreets but then he had found the place. They were still where he had left them. Close to that smashed black pyramide he had mourned right after the first battle. What he saw now looked even worse. Last time he had seen a group of soldiers over the heaps of a battlefield. Now he saw a group of soldiers that looked as if they belonged to a deportation unit. Why did this look to him as if Butter and Toady were not guarded but watched by all those heavy armed men?

„Hey!" he cried and ran over to them. „Hey guys, what´s going on here? What did I miss?"

Butterflyosaurus and Toady turned around at the sound of his voice, obviously surprised to see him. What else. They sure had noticed that he had been gone without a trace for a while. The only problem was that they were the only ones that reacted positively surprised on his reappearance. He had just reached the soldiers, when one of them grabbed him and pushed him against the nearest lamppost.

„You." the man hissed into his face.

Butter and Toady had turned to them in protest but the soldiers aimed their weapons at them in a clear threat. Don´t come any closer or we will shoot.

„Hey." Link croaked under the pressure the man caused against his throat. „Calm down, man. Its me. I´m not an alien. I´m on your side, remember?"

„I know exactly what you are." the man hissed. Link had no idea why but this guy was really pissed at him. Now he pushed him again and demanded to know: „Where are they? What have you and your slimy little friends done to them?"

„My …?" Link couldn´t believe it. He felt as if he was caught in the act. But that was impossible that these guys knew what Gallaxhessa had offered him. This man clearly must be talking about something else.

„Liu-tennant Hardwick." someone with a thick accent cried. „We dun´t know if he had aneething to do with what happened. Hee might be helpfool by …"

„Quiet!" Hardwick yelled at the Russian technician. „I´m not going to make the same mistake Major Henderson made." he said and turned to Link again. „He trusted you things. He even tried to find and … free you." He snorted disgusted. „And how did you thanked him?"

Now Link remembered that Gallaxhessa had said something about a group of soldiers who had been on the way to the stash of her clones. That had been the reason why they had moved him someplace else.

„What happened?" he now asked, afraid to hear the worst. Had she changed her mind after all and this whole order to not to kill had been an act so he would believe that she was showing mercy?

„You know exactly what happened." Hardwick hissed.

„No, dammit. If I knew I wouldn´t ask."

„Don´t try to be a smartass on me, monster." Hardwick pushed him again. Behind him Butterflyosaurus roared in protest. „Keep him quiet." Hardwick ordered his men and the soldiers took new positions around the big moth.

„What the hell are you doing?" Link wanted to know. „You can´t do that. We helped you. We´re on the same side."

„Are we?" Hardwick replied.

Link looked into those hateful eyes. „Thats at least what I thought so far." he said. „But who knows, maybe I was wrong."

Hardwick glanced at him and it looked as if he tried to decide if he should punch Link with a fist or the butt of his gun. Then instead of doing this he pushed him again. „You´ll tell me where our men are, right now." he demanded. „And you better pray that they are still alive. If an abnormality like you even knows what praying means, that is."

Now Link got angry. He used all the strength he had left inside of him and pushed this guy away from himself. „Now that is enough." he cried pointing a finger at him. Immediately the soldiers around him cocked their guns, ready to fire if Link should make only one wrong move at Hardwick.

Butterflyosaurus roared again and now Toady supported him with a croak. When the soldiers went down on their knees as if they really wanted to shoot at her and him, Butter started to flap his wings, stronger and stronger until he created such a strong wind that it disturbed the soldiers on the ground.

„Don´t let him get away." Hardwick yelled.

„No." Link cried but was immediately hold back by two soldiers again. „He´s not a threat!" he tried to tell them. „Butter stop."

But no one was listening anymore. The noise was already too loud now. Butter´s flapping, the yelling of the men and Toady was croaking too, moving around and backing off from these humans that aimed their guns at her. Now Butter roared at them again and someone, probably a youngster who just lost his nerves, pulled the trigger of his gun. As usually in situations like this, one was all it needed to start a cascade of followers and soon all the guards that had been aiming at Butter, started to shoot. The big moth who had guessed it just a second before it started, had just risen off the ground when the bullet rain came down on him. The bullets hit him in the lower belly. He roared again but this time it was a sound of pain.

„Nooo!" Link cried and tried to free himself from the grip of the soldiers. „Stop that! Stop shooting!"

Next to them Toady opened her mouth and croaked so loud that all the soldiers had to cover their ears. This gave Butterflyosaurus the chance to sour a little further to get out of their shooting distance. Some of them still tried to shoot him though, right after Toady´s roar had stopped. Others aimed at the frog now, ready to shoot her as well.

„Toady run!" Link yelled. „Run for it! Don´t wait for me! Run!"

Someone gave him a blow with the butt of his gun to silence him and Link fell to the ground. He could hear a loud croak and them the soldiers started to shoot again. But they stopped again just a second later and Hardwick´s cursing told Link that Toady had indeed jumped off and away from them. He looked up into the sky where Butterflyosaurus was fighting not to fall back to the ground. It was obvious that he was in pain and Link didn´t want to know how bad they had hit him. He could see blood on the belly of his big friend. The soldiers were still shooting after him.

„Run." Link groaned knowing that he was far too quiet for Butter to hear him. Still it was the only thing he could think of in this moment. That and something else. That Gallaxhessa had told him that this would happen. She had said, the streets would be dangerous for him. But he hadn´t listened. He had trusted in the humans and this had turned out to be a mistake. A big big mistake.

...

Harriette opened her eyes. She had no idea how long she had slept but it didn´t feel as if it had been too long. Faintly she had believed to hear gunshots on one point but that might have been a dream. She turned her head to look around. According to the light it could be already late afternoon but the light could be deceiving, especially on cloudy days. And the times they were going through right now almost called for cloudy days. Who could ever imagine a bloody war with hundreds of casualties to be fought on a sunny afternoon? Omaha Beach had been taken on a cloudy morning back then in 1944. What a mocking sight it would have been if all those dead soldiers would have swam in the waves of this beach, that had been red from their blood, and above them there would have been the brightest sun in a blue sky. No, sometimes the weather seemed to know exactly how to frame the human tragedies.

The old lady moved her head around a little more until she could see the room. She had lay down in this little rehabilitation room the FBI had had for their inferiors. It had a daybed, a table and a chair. Not much but enough to rest her old bones for a moment. The little group of men and women (little but brave) had proven to be quiet able to defend the building all on their own, so she had known that she could afford to close her eyes for a while. Because she had known the guards were at their posts. If she hadn´t been convinced about that, she might have never slept. Not until she had fallen down and died of exhaustion. She had never allowed herself to rest because she had had her little grandchild with her. Ok the little grandchild was twenty-nine and technically a grown woman but details like that didn´t really count in Harriette´s book. She had seen Amy´s eyes when these aliens had attacked and what she had seen there had meant only one thing. That she had to take care of her.

But now she was lying on the daybed in the rehabilitation room – ha, how funny is that to talk about rehabilitation in my age! – and the person who sat on the chair next to her bed, her hands resting on the barrel of an MP, was none other than her little grandchild. Now she was watching her. What a reverse. But somehow appropriate, Harriette figured. The only thing that she didn´t like about that was the tired look in Amy´s eyes. This young and usually so lively woman looked worn out and exhausted like a soldier that had lived and breathed war for years. It had been just a day but this was it what it had done to Amy already. Harriette hated it to see her that way.

„You can keep sleeping, Granny." Amy now said. „Everything is quiet so far."

„I thought I heard some shootings before." Harriette said.

Amy just nodded. „There were some of them in the streets." she told her. „But Bobby and the others fought them off. They are gone now."

That was another thing, Harriette had noticed. Amy never reverenced to the aliens as the aliens. She only called them so ominously "Them". Harriette wasn´t sure if that was just a way of coping with facts that Amy´s mind couldn´t cope with otherwise. She just knew that it sounded weird in her ears.

„But they will come back soon." Harriette said and swung her legs off the bed.

Amy just shook her head. God, she looked as if she was the one who could use some sleep. „I don´t think so." she stated. „At least not too soon."

„Why do you say that?" Harriette wanted to know.

Amy stared at her with this half empty eyes. „We saw something in the sky." she told her. „A projection. I believe it was one of the monsters. Remember? They demanded someone named Susan to surrender and when she didn´t … they killed the monster. They seemed to be quiet occupied with this whole spectacle. Guess it´ll keep them busy for a while."

There it was again. Not just this strange insisting on calling the aliens "They" but also the odd calmness with what she had just talked about this cruel execution. Harriette barely recognized her granddaughter. This was not the woman she knew.

„Maybe you should lay down for a while, kid." she suggested and stood up to clear the bed. „You seem to need some rest."

„I´m fine." Amy said.

„I´m not so sure."

„Granny, please." Amy objected rather fiercely. „I´m fine."

Before Harriette even had a chance to think about a response, the door behind her was opened and Bobby Derringer peered in.

„Mother Harriette." he greeted delighted to see her awake.

„What is it, Bobby?" Harriette asked.

„I´m not sure." he admitted. „But … Well, Duggy just lost the signal."

„What signal?"

„All of them. Or so he sais. I´m not sure if I got him right. You know I don´t know about that technics stuff."

„Don´t blame you, Bobby, neither do I." she waved the excuse away.

„Why bother with the damn signal anyway?" Amy asked. „We hadn´t had any calls for hours."

„This could mean that they keep quiet, kid." Harriette explained.

„If they are even still there you mean."

Harriette exchanged a glance with Bobby. The poor guy had been a book keeper before all of this had started. Fortunately he had had the strange hobby (strange for a book keeper at least) of going to the shooting range once a week. That had made him a great help in this situation. But now he looked as helpless as one might expect it from a guy like him. Harriette gave him a signal to leave them alone and he left, closing the door behind him.

„Why do you say things like that?" Harriette asked her granddaughter.

„Because its true." Amy said. „Look around, Granny. We´re alone. The army isn´t coming. No one´s coming."

„You don´t know that." Harriette argued gently. „They said they´d come. You´ll see, they will be here soon. They will come and get us out."

„They?" Amy snapped and looked at her grandmother sharply. „Who? You still believe that your dead brother is coming back to save you?"

Harriette couldn´t believe what she just heard. „Amy, stop that." she told her.

„No, Granny." Amy objected. „I will not. Stop. Wake up. And look around you. Its 2011. I´m sure your brother was a brave soldier but he is dead. Accept it. Dead people don´t come back."

„I said stop it Amy."

„Just because there was someone with them who knew that old code you used, doesn´t mean it was him." Amy went on without listening to her grandmother´s warning tone. „There are lots if guys in the army that know old codes. It was just luck that one of them heard our signal. It is not healthy that you keep believing in that. And its no use anyway because by now they will be dead. They got them on their way here, you can bet your ass on that."

„Amy, that´s enough." Harriette barked now and stood up to make herself bigger than this insolent child. But it was no use because Amy stood up as well yelling right back at her.

„You keeping up hopes that won´t help us, Granny." she told her. „Hopes that were nice and cute when everything was all right. But now things are not all right anymore and that you still cling to this hopes that your brother is alive is on the verge of insanity."

„I´m not insane." Harriette stated now suddenly very angry with this stubborn kid. „And I will not allow you to treat me like this. My. Brother. Is. Alive."

„He died in war, Granny." Amy dismissed the mere possibility with a nervous disbelieving grin.

„They never found his body." Harriette claimed, well aware of the fact that they were arguing beside the real point. But something about Amy´s argumentations bothered her that much, that she just couldn´t let go of it. Because she knew she was right. She knew her brother was still alive, not dead and Amy wouldn´t convince her otherwise. Not today and not ever.

„You have to face the truth, Granny." Amy said now as if she had heard her thoughts. „People disappear. Sometimes they just vanish and no one ever knows where or why. But they are dead either way. You must accept that. Dead people don´t come back. Your brother isn´t out there and the soldiers who said they´d come to get us out, aren´t there anymore either. We. Are. Alone."

„No." Harriette said sternly, her voice almost just a whisper. She looked her granddaughter straight in the eyes. „You´ll see Amy-Mouse." she said. There was a strange reaction in her granddaughter´s face at the unexpected use of her childhood nickname. Harriette hold her gaze and nodded reassuringly. „They´ll come." she promised.

For a moment she was sure that Amy was about to cry. But then the moment passed and the young woman looked at her as hard and doubtful as before. Still Harriette nodded at her.

„You´ll see." he repeated and there was nothing Amy could have said now to deny this conviction.

Outside they heard excited voices passing by the door. Then the door was opened and Bobby came in again.

„Mother Harriette." he cried excited. „You must come quick. Something is going on outside."

Before either of the two women could ask him what it was, he was gone again and they had no other chance to get an explanation than to follow. All the others of their little group had already been gathered at the windows. They were peeking out and talked to each other in hush tones as if they were afraid of being heard outside. When Harriette and Amy reached the windows and saw what was going on, they understood why.

„Its them." Amy said. „They´re getting ready to attack. I told you …"

Harriette shushed her with an angry hiss. That was not what was going on. These aliens that were out there didn´t head for their building. They were passing it, rushing by as if they had been called somewhere.

„What are they doing?" someone whispered tensed. It was Trixy, a secretary, Harriette recognized the voice.

„Look over there." someone else, Ralf Benton a mechanic said. Everybody followed his pointing and saw what he meant. There was a small fire burning on the roof of a parked car. It almost looked as if someone had tried to light a small camp fire there. The aliens were heading there, gathering around this car now.

„What the hell is going on here, Bobby?" Harriette demanded to know.

„I have no idea." the young man said shaking his head.

In this moment the sound of gunfire came from where the aliens had gathered. The aliens jumped at the sound but there was no one to be seen who was shooting. Harriette realized that it came from the fire. Someone must have placed a package of ammunition in this little fire. A diversion. The aliens had now located the origin of the shots too and collectively fired their lasers at the car. Everybody in the room was holding their breaths. Harriette´s eyes searched the environment but she couldn´t spot anyone. Though she was sure that there had to be some soldiers around. Hiding. But if they were there, they were hiding pretty damn good. And then she knew it. Ghosts. The memory of this old word came back to her like a bolt of lightening.

„Look!" someone cried and Harriette remembered that there was something going on out there. She looked back at the aliens, who had now perfectly melted down the car with their lasers but had obviously no idea what the whole thing was about. They were about to find it out. Because now there was someone stepping out to them. Slowly as if this someone had just been waiting for the aliens to stop shooting at this innocent car.

„Is that a girl?" Bobby asked shocked.

No one gave a response to that. They were too much caught watching. The young woman walked up to the aliens now, with steady steps as if she was sure they couldn´t do anything to her. And as strange as it was, they really didn´t. They had not hesitated to shoot their whole capacity of laser power on a car just assuming that someone could hide behind it, but now that they actually saw the human, they didn´t do anything.

„Why don´t they shoot?" Trixy whispered.

„I … I think thats Ginormica." Amy said after a tensed silence. Everybody looked at her. „They wanted her to surrender." Amy explained. „They want her alive."

„Strange." Ralf said. „She doesn´t look very ginormic."

„Does that mean she is surrendering now?" Trixy asked shocked.

Again there was no answer. But they didn´t got the time to think about it though. Ginormica had just reached the aliens, when suddenly shots came from out of nowhere and killed them. Ginormica grabbed one of their laser guns and immediately aimed for the aliens that crowded the rest of the street. It took ten seconds and everything was over. The people that were gathered at the windows needed ten more seconds to understand what had just happened and to finally realize what it meant. The tensed silence that had filled the room was now filled with cheering and enthusiastic clapping as if the whole thing had been a great stunt performance.

Harriette turned around to her granddaughter with a triumphant smile. She knew it was hardly the right moment for a I-told-you-so but she just couldn´t help. „Do you believe it now, kid?" she asked.

...

The computer cabinet had never been that busy in the entire existence of this school. At least not as far as Benny remembered it. Three of their guys were constantly watching the monitors, giving instructions and directions to those of them who were out there combing the hallways of this building. He could hear Tom instructing the first team to go right at the next corner and almost the same time Sam told the other team to stop because there was an alien patrol coming their way. Tom halted in his own instructing and glanced over at Sam´s monitor. It was true there were some aliens coming along in the area the team around McNamara was in right now. They watched them take cover behind a corner while the aliens came closer.

„Where now?" Tom´s team asked him impatiently over radio.

„Ehm … to the left." Tom answered and then looked back at the other monitor again.

„Watch your own team." Sam hissed at him and Tom obeyed. Still he threw a glance sideways again and again.

Benny couldn´t blame him. They had seen confrontations like this a lot within the last two hours but it was still tensing as hell. They could never know if it would go well this time. But it went well once again. The aliens reached the corner and McNamara and his little group of three students shot them quickly and clean. Then they went on. They reached the room they had been heading for – the teachers lounge – and shot the aliens that were guarding it. They went in and a few moments later they came back out, a whole bunch of teachers with them. Benny spotted professor Smith with them and was released to see that he was all right.

Over the last two hours, after they had decided that it was useless trying to find Dr. Cockroach. If he was still alive, the aliens were hiding him somewhere, McNamara had said and if they would try to find him they could as well do it by proceeding with the original plan. And that was it what they were doing now. Using the surveillance system to guide their own teams through the building and freeing as many people as they could. So far they had gotten three bigger groups and a small one of students and now McNamara and his team had found the profs.

Since there was no space for all those people in the computer room they had gathered them in the cafeteria. With all the laser guns they had taken from the aliens they had killed on their way, they had enough to defend themselves until they had a chance to come up with a better plan. The third party on the monitors was watching the outside of the cafeteria, so they could warn them longhanded if the aliens really should come for them.

Chris had stayed there with them to give instructions in case something should happen. He had been one of the best when it came to the shooting with those canons, so McNamara had trusted him with the life of his schoolmates. So far it looked as if he did a good job keeping them calm and ready. Slowly this group of randomly gathered students looked a little more organized than when they had arrived in the cafeteria.

It was strange, Benny mused. Not so long ago they had been a randomly gathered group of unknowing students themselves. And now they were in charge of teaching others that knew even less about how to handle this situation. Just weird how things sometimes turned out.

On the monitor they could see McNamara discussing with some of the profs now. Smith was one of them. The other was the head of the school. This greasy guy Salvar. Benny had never liked him and after he had called the cops and forced Dr. Cockroach and Ari out of the school he had been proven right with his opinion. He even believed that it was him who had taken the device Dr. Cockroach had left behind away from professor Smith. Though he had no prove of that.

Now he saw McNamara gesturing for the others in his team to go on while he and the two professors headed into another direction. They were coming back here right away while the others guided the rest of the profs down to the cafeteria. Benny went to the door when he saw that they had arrived and opened it for them.

„Professor Smith." he greeted his mentor when he came in.

„Benny!" the old man cheered when he saw him. „I´m so glad to see you´re all right. God, what a mess all this is."

„You bet." Benny agreed and then turned to McNamara. He intendedly ignored Salvar. „Why did you bring them here?" he asked the Marine.

„Your principle insisted on … helping us coordinate our operations." McNamara explained.

„This is my school and I want to know what you plan to do with it." Salvar said.

„Sir, you may watch and give some advice if it is called for." McNamara told him firmly. „But I have to warn you again. If you should disturb our operation in any way, I will silence you."

„What does that mean, silence me?" Salvar demanded to know. He was speaking in a perfect do- you-want-to-meet-my-lawyer-tone of the highly educated people.

„Exactly what I said." McNamara replied with a polite smile. He wasn´t a bit impressed by the halfbaked threat this guy had tried to put on him.

This time Salvar did not try to confront any more. He just went over to the computer monitors in utter silence. Smith, who was, like Benny suspected, only here to watch that Salvar wouldn´t try to disturb anything in the first place, followed him. Just a second after they had joined the surveillance teams, Joon walked up to McNamara and tapped him on the shoulder.

„Excuse me Staff Sergeant McNamara, sir." she said. „I need to talk to you."

„I don´t have much time, young lady." McNamara said. „What is it?"

„I talked to Dina again about Dr. Cockroach." Joon said. „And she sais she might know where he could be."

Now McNamara was all ears. „Where?" he wanted to know, still carefully holding back his hopes.

„Dina sais that the aliens have build up a second main control point like this, outside of the building." Joon told him.

„Why should they do that?" McNamara asked confused.

„Because there is more space there." Joon explained."This here was just to control the university´s system. The real stuff is in that other place."

There was a glowing in McNamara´s eyes now. Not just that there was a possibility to find out where the Doc was. But now Joon told him that there was even more alien technologie somewhere nearby.

„Where is that place?" he demanded to know eagerly.

„Its in the chapel, Dina sais."

„The chapel?" Benny repeated in disbelieve. Joon just nodded.

„Of course." McNamara exclaimed. „That makes perfect sense. Thats why we couldn´t find him. There are no camera´s inside the chapel. And the room is definitely big enough to store a lot of technology. Good work, young lady. Now we have something to aim at."

„You won´t shoot at the chapel, will you?" Joon asked shocked.

McNamara needed a moment to understand what she was talking about. „Great Scott, no." he chuckled and lay a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. „I just meant that now we know where we have to go. What we have to lay our focus on." He thought it over for a moment. Then he looked around in search for the captured alien clone. „Hey, you!" he cried when he spotted her. „Come here."

Dina came over to them after Joon had nodded assuringly at her.

„Is it true?" McNamara demanded to know. „What you told her?"

„It is true." Dina affirmed.

„How closely-guarded is the chapel?"

Dina shrugged. „Last time I checked, they were watching it pretty good. It is our main computer station after all. From there we intended to control the whole city."

McNamara cheered inside and closed his fist in triumph. That was it what he had been hoping for. If he could conquer this place he would have the aliens where he wanted them. On their knees.

„How can you be so happy about this?" Benny asked not understanding. „That means we won´t get in there."

„I wouldn´t be so sure about that." McNamara objected confidently and looked down at Dina. „We have a key after all."

„What?" Benny cried.

„You will bring us in." he told Dina. „And with us I mean mostly me."

„Wait a second." Benny demanded. „What are you talking about?"

McNamara had taken his gun off his shoulder by now. „You heard it yourself, the chapel is heavily guarded. But there are at least two very important things in there that we need to get to. One is the computer. The other is the Doc."

„If he is there." Benny argued.

„Oh, I bet he is." McNamara replied. „We need to get in there. We know we can´t get in by attacking. Conclusion: We need to get access from the inside."

„But how do you …?"

„She´ll bring me in." McNamara explained and turned to Dina again. „You took me hostage while you were on patrol. Since you didn´t know what to do with me, you brought me to the main station for instructions. Got it?"

„You can´t do that." Benny cried. „What if they´ll decide to kill you?"

„They won´t." McNamara assured him.

„That´s insane." Benny cried. „Why would you even risk that?"

McNamara gave him a very serious face now. „Two reasons." he said. „The main computer and even more important: the Doc. If he is really there I have to find him. He might need help."

„But … if you get caught over there, what are we supposte to do?"

„You guys have covered everything up." McNamara said confidently. „You know what to do. You´ll get along. I need to do this."

„Why? I mean … I want the Doc to be save too, but …"

„What would you do if it was Joon over there?" McNamara asked. „This bug and I, we survived the alien ship together. He practically saved my life when we jumped out. I owe it to him. At least this much."

Benny lowered his gaze. There was nothing more he could have said against that. McNamara turned to Dina again, but before he even had a chance to say something to her, Joon grabbed his arm and dragged him along a few steps.

„What are you doing?" he asked her.

„I´ll go with you." she told him matter of factly.

For a moment he was just lack of words. He chuckled. „Young lady, I know this alien is "Your prisoner" but don´t exaggerate. This is not a game anymore."

„I know its not." Joon replied rather serious. „Dina is my prisoner because we are in here. Out there she is an alien again. Our enemy. She could shoot you before you reach the chapel. When I go with you, I can control her. I know her by now. I can make her go along with your plan."

McNamara was completely taken aback by this. Never in his life he would have expected something like that from this girl. He looked into her face, searching for any sign of joke or hunch that she was delusional again. But this time there was nothing like this. Only a very serious and very convinced young woman, who knew exactly what she was talking about. And the strangest thing was, McNamara actually believed that she was right. She definitely had a point here.

He sighed heavily at the decision he had to make. Benny sure wouldn´t like that but he guessed Joon wouldn´t allow him to stop her anyway. So he nodded. Bloody hell, he thought. He knew he would regret this.

* * *

**All right guys. There is still a lot of work to do, thats why I say my goodbye for now. See you next week then.**

**And as always: Thanks for reading.**


	40. Chapter 40 Prisoners

**Hello everybody. Its just me. So don´t panic.**

**Claws: Thanks for the summary. I tend to forget what I wrote so fast and you always pick the most important parts. I like the idea of a playlist. Maybe you want to share it when its ready.**

**Until then. Lets keep going.**

* * *

**Prisoners**

One would have never believed it to be a house of God when he saw the building for the first time. More a strange looking portion of brick, that might contain from the way it looked, electronics or some other equipment that needed to be safely stored somewhere. The building had no windows – strange thing for a chapel – and the only indication that it was indeed a chapel, was the bell on the roof that was surrounded by the strange construction that reminded more on modern art than on the Christian church.

There was a small ring of water running around the round building. Zach had never understood why it was there, not for the whole time of his study on this institute. The door was in a corridor of glass and metal that connected the chapel with the next building, what was the student center. On the other side of the field what lay before the chapel there was the big round roof of the auditorium. In comparison this building would have provided the aliens with much more space for their computers, Zach mused. But maybe they had needed a place that was not just surrounded by glass and metal but by solid walls. Maybe the metal would disturb the signals or something.

They reached the double winged wooden door and Dina knocked. A few moments later another alien opened the door looking out to them puzzled. Zach had to bite his tongue to not to cry: _Hello, madame. Do you have a minute to talk about the bible? Sure you want to be saved, too._ This situation was just so ridiculous, he couldn´t help himself.

„What is that?" the alien asked Dina.

„I took them hostage." Dina explained grimly. „They attacked my patrol. Only I survived. Do you see what they did to my eye?"

„Dear, that looks awful." the other clone sympathized and made Zach roll his eyes. „But why do you bring them here? There are plenty of rooms where we hold our prisoners."

„This one had something with him I thought you might want to see." Dina explained and showed the other clone Zach´s weapon. „I don´t think that belongs to the usual equipment of these humans we took hostage so far."

The other clone looked at the gun for a moment and then nodded. „Well, all right. Bring them in. We´re a little busy right now but we see to it as soon as we can."

„Thanks." Dina said and poked her own gun in Zach´s back.

„Hey." the Marine hissed at her. „Don´t exaggerate."

They were led into the corridor and followed it until they reached the chapel itself. Zach had taken part on one mass once – on easter, to do a favour to a girlfriend of his – and so he remembered the room a little. Now it looked completely different though. All this technology made it really look like what the first impression of the building indicated.

„Who was it?" one of the clones that were there asked when they came in.

Again Zach had to restrain the urge to yell: _Your friendly bible salesman, ma´am. You want to see our brandnew assortment? I promise, you´ll love it._ But then he saw the Doc lying on the altar and the aliens luring around him, one of them holding something over him that looked like a high tech scalpel. In that moment all humor flew out of the not existing window.

„Hey!" he yelled. „What are you doing to him? What have you done?"

He was about to rush over to them hadn´t it been for Dina, who´s tentacles were around his arms now, holding him back. The other alien aimed at him with its gun but Zach didn´t even seem to notice.

„Take your slimy tentacles off him." he cried. „He´s not for dissection."

„We don´t dissect him." the alien with the scalpel-like device cried back.

„I think you saw too many bad movies." another one agreed.

Zach was still struggling against Dina´s grip, when Joon grabbed him as well. „Better stop that." she said. „They have the guns, forgot?"

Zach stopped struggling and shook the four to six hands off himself. „What did you do to him?" he demanded to know.

„We didn´t do anything." the clone that aimed at him replied. „It was the humans."

„What humans?"

„The humans with the grey heads, we had imprisoned."

„The professors?" Zach cried.

„I don´t know their names." the alien replied. „But they shot at him not we."

„Bloody hell." Zach cursed under his breath. He could imagine pretty good what could have happened. The Doc had shown himself to a bunch of frightened civilians that were not able to handle the situation and one had led to the other. Dammit. He should have known better than that. Stupid insect.

„How bad is he?" he asked.

„What do you care?" the alien was confused.

„This bug is my partner." Zach cried gesticulating at the unconscious Doc. „Now would you mind telling me how he is?"

„Okay, okay." the alien said. „His nerve system was damaged. He is still not able to move more than his head but we´re in the process of repairing the damage."

„You can do that?" Zach asked amazed. „Curing full body paralysis?"

„Of course we can." the alien replied. „Can´t you?"

„No." this time it was Joon who had answered the question. She seemed as amazed as Zach felt.

The alien just snorted. „Underdeveloped earthlings." it said.

„What are we doing with them now?" another alien asked.

„What do you mean, what to do with us?" Zach said before the first alien had a chance to answer the question. „We are your prisoners. Thats it. Nothing more."

The two aliens looked at each other a little bewildered. Zach had talked to them as if the asked question had been the most stupid one in the whole galaxy.

„Oh." the first one said now. „Right." Then it addressed Dina. „Clone. You bring them to the others and lock them away."

„Wait." Zach demanded.

„What?" the clone cried nerved.

„The Doc is our friend." he explained. „We would like to stay until he is better."

„Yeah, please." Joon begged and looked at the alien in charge with her big brown puppy eyes.

It actually worked. The grim face of the alien softened and then it rolled its four eyes. „Very well." it said and then addressed Dina again. „You take care of them." it ordered. „They are your responsibility."

Dina straighted and saluted. Then she led Zach and Joon into a corner where they would remain until further notice. At the altar the other aliens kept working on the Doc. Zach sighed. As long as this bug did´t wake up (not to mention his inability to walk – great, just great) he couldn´t do anything.

...

„What happened?" Gallaxhessa demanded to know.

„We don´t know, Gallaxhessa." he clone answered. „There was gunfire at the place where the humans are. It seems they shot at the big monsters."

„What?" Gallaxhessa cried. „Why? Did they hit?"

„Yes. One of them."

„And which one?"

„The flying one. They tried to shoot it down but it got away. How far we don´t know. It was pretty badly wounded. They also tried to shoot the green one."

„No." Gallaxhessa exhaled raising a hand to her mouth.

„But it jumped away before they hit it." her clone told her a little bemused over the concern her mastress seemed to feel for that creature.

„Jumped?" Gallaxhessa blinked confused.

„Yes, Gallaxhessa."

Then she understood. Of course they were talking about the other green monster. The one Link had referred to as Toady. The mother of her new companions. She exhaled in relief until she realised that this only meant she didn´t know anything at all about Link´s part in that shooting. If he had been there, that was.

„Clones." she said. „I want you to find out what happened. Send someone there to look at this. And if the Missing Link is with the humans …" she hesitated. „Well … If he is just with them … don´t interfere. But if he is wounded or in trouble … get him out and bring him here. Unharmed."

„But … Gallaxhessa. If he is already wounded, how can we bring him here unharmed?" the clone asked desperately.

„Stupid clone." Gallaxhessa cried. „Just bring him here, understood?"

„Yes, Gallaxhessa." the clones saluted. She hit the panel with her fist and shut down the channel.

...

„Thanks god you are here." Trixy cheered when the soldiers reached the building. They had hurried down to the front door right after the fight in the street had been finished. They had unblocked the door to let their savours in. And now they were here. Eight men and one woman.

„I´m Major Stanton." one of them introduced himself. „We heard your signal. We are here to help you. Who is in charge here?"

When everybody turned their heads to the old woman, he wasn´t sure at first. But that feeling only stayed until she spoke up.

„I´m Harriette Dutton." she said. „Please tell me that you are not the only ones that came to save us, soldier."

Stanton threw a brief look to Dan and found a tiny smirk on his comrades face. „We started with a bigger group to get you out, ma´am." he said.

„Would you do me a favour and not call me ma´am." Harriette Dutton said.

„We call her mother Harriette." Trixy told Stanton proudly.

„You may stick with Harriette though." mother Harriette added.

„All right." Stanton said. „Harriette then. We were twenty-five until we ran into an alien ambush. The rest of our team is holding hostage in a bank by the aliens."

„In a bank?" a young man cried confused. „Why that? What could the aliens want with earth money"

„Idiot." another guy that looked like a lumberjack said. „They don´t want the money. They probably want the gold reserves. I guess they need it for their computers or something."

„They want me." Susan interrupted the pointless argument to clear things up. Everybody looked at her. „I´m Ginormica." she explained. „My body contains a substance the aliens need to conquer earth. Its the most powerful …"

„We know who you are, kid." mother Harriette interrupted her. „We saw what you did on the street and we made up our minds already."

„You are the one they killed this monster for, we saw in the sky." the young woman next to her said with a motionless face.

Susan stared at her and for a moment she didn´t know what to say. Mother Harriette threw a brief disapproving look at her granddaughter.

„I guess when they hold the other soldiers hostage in that bank, they want you to surrender." she said. „Am I right?"

„No." Susan replied still looking at this woman with the expressionless face. „They think I´m with them."

„We couldn´t help them because we were outnumbered." Stanton explained. „That´s why we came here. Mother Harriette. How good are your people with the weapons?"

„Well, I guess we can take care of some aliens." she said. Then she looked at him estimating. „Are you the officer in charge of this operation?" she wanted to know.

„I am now." Stanton said. „But if you ask me if I started it, the answer is no. Our Admiral is still in the bank with the others."

„If he is still alive that is." Myers said.

„He is the boss, Dean." Stanton replied sharply. „He is all right, got it?"

„Got it."

„What´s his name?" Harriette wanted to know.

„Bryce." Stanton answered with a frown. He didn´t understand why this was important.

„Do you start it again, Granny?" the woman with the dark hair cried unnerved.

„I have the right to ask any goddamn question I want, Amy." mother Harriette replied fiercely.

„It is not your brother Randy." Amy insisted on common sense and earned herself a sharp glance from her grandmother.

„I know that now." mother Harriette said in a calm voice. Amy sighed in disagreement but said no more. After that Harriette turned to Stanton again. „We will help you, soldier." she said.

„Thanks." Stanton replied a little bemused over the scene he had just witnessed.

„But you need to understand." she went on. „Not all of us are able to fire a weapon and fight."

„I understand that." Stanton assured her. „You can stay behind and all the others who know how to shoot …"

„I´m not talking about myself, son." Harriette snapped insulted. „I already shot a tin can at a distance of two hundred yards when you were still a glowing in the eyes of your mother."

There was a spontaneous laughter behind Stanton that stopped as quickly as it had started, knowing that it might be inappropriate to snicker about the commanding officer. Stanton himself didn´t seem to react at all. He just waited for the explanation that was still due.

„Its my little brother Duggy." a man behind mother Harriette said. „Douglas." he then corrected himself. „He …"

„You have a child with you?" Stanton asked concerned.

„He is not a child." the young man denied. „Well. Sometimes he is but …"

Now Stanton understood. „Is he retarded?" he asked.

„No." the man cried now almost offended. „No, he is highly intelligent. He was the one who send you the signal you heard."

„He is autistic." mother Harriette took over and lay a hand on the young man´s arm. „Its all right, Dick."

„I see." Stanton replied. „Don´t worry. We will take care of your brother.

Dick nodded gratefully. He seemed very concerned about his brother´s safety. For some reason this made Stanton remember something himself and he asked: „One of you didn´t happen to cross the upper town by any chance?"

„No." was the common answer to that accompanied by headshakes.

„I saw it." Trixy then said. „I rode my bike to get away from the robots. Until I had my accident and crashed its wheel."

„How did it look like there?" Stanton wanted to know.

„It looked awful." Trixy told with a sad face. „The buildings look as if a bomb dropped. Why do you ask?"

Stanton swallowed. „No reason." he said.

Someone lay a hand on his shoulder. Dean or Dan. He didn´t look around to see who exactly. He didn´t need to know. They didn´t get the chance to talk any more about the subject anyway. Outside there was a loud noise all the sudden, as if a building had just fallen apart. The net sound they heard was a loud humming from above and when they looked up they saw the head of one of the alien robots.

„Dammit!" Amy cried. „They must have detected the shooting. Now they are coming for us."

She grabbed her gun and would have run out to shoot at the robot single handed if her grandmother hadn´t hold her back.

„You´re not going out there, Amy." she yelled at her.

„We have to defend ourselves." Amy yelled back at her.

„I won´t let you do that." Harriette insisted.

„We have to take cover." Stanton yelled while the two women were still struggling with each other. He signalled the people to go back into the building when Dean next to him cried: „Hey! Come back!"

Stanton swirled around and saw Susan walking out of the street. „Susan!" he yelled after her but she didn´t listen. All he heard was a faint heap of words from her, while she kept walking for that giant robot. He wasn´t sure but it had sounded like: „I handle that." It wasn´t the words that disturbed him but the lack of any other emotion in them save determination. That somehow didn´t sound like the Susan Murphy he had meet some hours ago at the city limits. Now he saw her picking up a small car and throw it at the robot.

„Is she crazy?" Dean cried when the vehicle crashed at the robots forcefield and bounced off.

„Maybe its the tranquilizers I injected her with earlier." Stanton replied half joking. Then he turned around and went on chasing the others into the building.

Outside the robot had spotted the source of the attack. Susan stood in the middle of the street and looked right back at it, opening her arms in an inviting gesture.

„What is she doing?" Dan demanded to know.

„No idea." Stanton said. „We can just hope that _she_ knows it."

„What if she doesn´t?" Dan asked.

„Then we are boned." Stanton said. When he realized what he had said, he turned around to the women behind him. „Sorry." he apologized.

On the street the robot had reached out one of its arms to grab Susan. But instead of running away to avoid it she just stood there and waited until it picked her up.

„What the hell?" Dan cried. Stanton made a gesture for him to wait.

So they watched how the robot lifted her up to its big head. A hatch opened and Susan was put inside the head. As if it had swallowed her. For a few moments there was nothing. Just the robot standing there not moving, as if it tried to decide how to go on from here. Then it bowed down, looking around the street until it fixed its four eyes on them.

„It sees us." Amy said. „Now it will come and get us."

„Shhhh." Stanton made. „Wait."

„For what? It already ate her. I guess now they have their precious substance."

Stanton realized that she was right. That he had allowed this robot to take her, knowing that if she should fail with whatever had been her plan, the aliens truly would have the Quantonium. What had he been thinking?

But he should not regret this after all. In this moment, when the robots arms started to reach out for them, it started to crackle. The movement stopped and became unsteady. Little clouds of smoke started to raise from the head. For a while the robot just stood there, crackling and smoking but then something inside cracked and it flinched so hard that it lost its balance.

„Inside!" Stanton yelled and they ran into the lobby of the building to avoid the big cloud of dust that came up when the robot crushed down into the street. It needed a few minutes for the dust to clear but when they stepped out again (their guns ready just in case) they saw the big head of the robot lying at the end of the street. Its four red eyes were black now and the only movement were the flying sparks.

„I guess she knew what she did, after all." Stanton commented the sight.

...

He got smacked in the face. Again. How many times now he didn´t know. He didn´t count. The only thing he knew was that he started to hate that guy more and more with each hit. He was bound, his hands behind the lamppost where this smacking crap had pushed him earlier. Now he felt as if he had been brought to the scaffold. Only that his judges had decided to torture him a little before they would set him on fire. Maybe he would confess his deal with the devil after all before he died. And the funny thing was, they had no idea how close to the truth that would be. In some way he had collaborated with the devil. What they would see as the devil anyway.

„Now tell me, creature." Hardwick demanded. „What have you and your little friends done to our men?"

Link spat out some bloody spit that had started to fill his mouth. „And to ask me that you had to hit me ten times in a row?" he asked.

„No." Hardwick replied. „But it made me feel better. You can be glad that it was just ten times." he added and smacked him again.

„Liu-tennant." the man with the thick accent stepped forward. He was pale in the face over what he had been forced to watch so far. „I must protest." he said. „This cweetsha is no enemy. You can´t …"

„Shut up, Russian." Hardwick yelled. „This is none of your business."

The so far pale face went dark at this. As dark as this man was able to look. „Ay think its all our business." he said. „The aliens not just attacked America."

„But this IS America, pal, so do me a favour and shut the hell up, Novorsky."

„I will not allow you to tortshurr this puissonnor." Novorsky said. „Its against human rights."

„This is no human." Hardwick cried. „Go and hang your head in a sling for someone who deserves it, Mr. Gandhi."

Novorsky didn´t move. He just kept staring at Hardwick with this gloomy face. The Lieutenant just grinned. „Fine." he said. „If you don´t want to go, be my guest." With that he turned back to Link but Novorsky jumped in his way before he could go on with his treatment. Now Hardwick got really angry.

„If you don´t want a place right next to him you better leave now." he threatened. „That´s a friendly advice."

„You not my friend." Novorsky replied.

„Good." Hardwick said. „At least you got that message." With that he turned around and nodded at two of his men. The soldiers immediately came to them and took Novorsky by the arms.

„You mayking mistayk." Novorsky told them.

„Yeah, whatever." Hardwick said. „But its our mistake then isn´t it? Nothing that should concern you."

„You know what your real problem is?" Link asked him and threw him off his flow for a second.

„What?" he demanded to know.

„I actually really know where your men might be." Link told him. „But I´m not sure anymore if I want to tell you."

Hardwick stared at him startled. Then his face darkened again and he blew him another hit and this time Link heard something ring in his ears.

„Liu- tennant!" Novorsky cried but the soldiers were holding him back.

„Bring him out of my sight." Hardwick ordered but before anyone could do anything, somebody yelled: „INCOMING!" and then they heard the familiar sounds of laser shots and gunfire. When Hardwick realized what was going on, he glared at Link what seemed to be pure bloodlust.

„They are here because of you." he said.

„They are not." Link cried. But then he realized that he was lying. It was at least possible that he was the reason for this attack. In what way he didn´t know and didn´t really want to know. Maybe the aliens had followed him, it went through his mind. But then again, why should they? Hadn´t they known all along where the soldiers had been? Of course they had.

Hardwick was about to aim his gun at Link, when Novorsky suddenly cried: „Look out!"

The men that had hold the technician let go of him and started to shoot at the aliens that had appeared at the corner that was closest to them. Hardwick cursed and joined them. The aliens shot back with their lasers and made the soldiers taking cover. Novorsky ducked down as well. He ran with his head between his arms and hid behind the lamppost Link was bound to.

„Hey, pal." Link whispered after the lasers had stopped for a moment. He wanted to ask the Russian man to untie him but before he even had a chance, he felt something rubbing at his rope. When he turned his head he saw that Novorsky was already busy cutting him loose.

„You reelay knoo where Henderson are?" he asked.

„I have a good guess." Link said.

„Henderson tried to find you." Novorsky told him while he kept sawing at the rope. „He left Hardwick here becos he not trust him."

„Seems he knows his own people the best." Link grumbled.

Finally the ropes fell off his wrists and he was free. A laser hit the lamp over their heads and they had to run so they wouldn´t get crushed. „Let´s get out of here, man." Link cried.

So they ran. Away from the still shooting soldiers and the equally firing aliens. Just a moment before they entered a tight allay to vanish in it, they heard the furious yelling of Hardwick that they should stop.

„He´s not happy." Novorsky said when they finally stopped some streets farther.

„No." Link agreed. „Guess I´m off his Christmas card list."

„Liissen." Novorsky said. „I knoo we are just two, but if you could show me where Henderson and the others are, maybe we cud think something."

Link was thinking right now. Not that he didn´t want to help Henderson – he was a good guy and he believed it when Novorsky said the Major had tried to find him – but he couldn´t stop thinking about what Gallaxhessa had said. She had tried to warn him and he had ignored her warnings, only to run right into the biggest trouble one could think of. Who knows what this dirtbag Hardwick would have done with him if the attack hadn´t distracted him. And who knew what he had already done to Butterflyosaurus.

Maybe Gallaxhessa was right after all. Maybe there was no living for monsters like him amongst humans. Not as long as humans ruled this world. There were just too many Hardwicks on this planet. Sure there were also the Novorskys and Hendersons but the soldiers back there had followed Hardwick not Novorsky. When things came down to it, people would always follow the Hardwicks of this world. Because they provided them with the most security, claiming that they were protecting the good old ways. And in times like this people were clinging to the good old ways like a drowning person to a twig.

„Listen." he now said with a sigh.

„Victor." Novorsky said and startled Link for a moment.

„Victor." he emphasized. „Maybe its better you turn back and hide somewhere. This isn´t your fight."

Novorsky just chuckled bemused. „Why everybody say that to me always?" he asked. „I knoo I´m not a soldier but … I can help. I want to help you help Henderson and his men.

„Maybe they are safer where they are." Link said.

Novorsky frowned not understanding. He was about to ask him for an explanation when they heard something at the end of the lane. It were some voices. Alien voices. They looked around for a place to hide and started to run but in this moment they were already surrounded. The aliens aimed their guns at them like police men who had stopped some criminals.

„No." Link cried. „Don´t shoot. I´m Link. Ask Gallaxhessa. She´ll tell you who I am."

The aliens didn´t shoot. In the corner of his eye Link noticed the confused frown of his new friend Novorsky. The man wasn´t stupid. Of course he would think his own part about what he had just said but that was something Link couldn´t afford to think about right now. The important part was that these clones knew who he was and that they better didn´t kill them.

One of the aliens took a communicator out. „We got him." it said. „There is a human with him. What shell we do with him?"

Link couldn´t believe it. So Hardwick had been right after all. They had come for him.

„Bring him with." the voice on the other end said.

The clone shut off the device and then just motioned for them with its gun, all business. „Move." it said.

* * *

**All right. Thats it for today. I see you next week. **

**And thanks for reading.**


	41. Chapter 41 Starting Over

**Hello everybody. **

**I´llBe: First of all, welcome to our club. Second, about your question. Well, as many as I can and as less as possible. There is really no plan. But I work for the end believe me. It will come when it comes. **

**Suewe: A petit peut de francais? Did you know that French was the language of the diplomats some hundred years ago? If one wanted to show that he was well educated he had to speak French. The way today we need to speak English to show we know about the world. Funny, hm? Why am I telling this? Well, no reason at all. Just a little history lesson what isn´t even a real lesson. Lets just say I´m glad we live today, because I´m awful at French.**

**Well, enough of this sidecrap. Let´s get back to the real reason why we are here. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Starting over**

Gallaxhessa stared at the screen in front of her. At the picture that it showed to her. The pictures her robot had send to her just before it was destroyed. There she was, in live size – well sort of – and far away from the place where she should be. Ginormica. How was that possible? She had talked to her at the bank where the humans had barricaded themselves in. Or hadn´t she? Now that she thought about it, it occurred to her that she had never really seen her. She had only heard a female voice coming from that place. The humans must have tricked her. But why? Well, to stall time of course. Ginormica had been the only reason why she had ordered her clones not to attack. They must have known that and took advantage of that. Oh, Gallaxhessa was angry when she thought about that. They had fooled her. How could they dare? But of course they had had to. She could even understand that. But that didn´t mean she would allow this charade to go on any longer. She would chase them out there and get rid of them.

But wait. No, better yet, she would take advantage of her new gaines knowledge. These humans were now literally in her hands. She could use them to get the carrier at last. Because now she had more than just one hostage. Instead of being their hiding place the bank would become a cage where she, Gallaxhessa, had trapped them in.

For a moment, Gallaxhessa mused if this would make any sense. Susan had allowed Link to be killed without giving herself up. Why should it be different this time? But then of course, this were humans like her. She would care about them. It would work. Gallaxhessa only needed to work this out carefully. And she had to be smarter than the humans. Not that much of a challenge, she figured. She called her clones that were positioned at the bank.

„Hail, Gallaxhessa." they answered her call.

„I want to talk to the humans." she demanded and then waited until her clone told her that the device that would project her head in front of the bank, was in position and that the humans should be able to see her now.

„Humans." she called out for them and told them straight: „I know that Ginormica is not with you."

She waited a moment to let them realize the fact she had just revealed. Then she went on: „I hope you realize what that means, humans." she said. „I´m not willing to bother with you any longer. Therefor I offer you to surrender yourself right now. You have to fear no harm from my clones. You will just go into captivity. I understand if you hesitate to believe my words but I assure you, I keep my promises. That also means I will keep my promise to destroy this building if you should refuse to come out. As I said: I´m not willing to bother with you any longer. Its your choice. You have five of your earth minutes to think it over."

She deactivated her own projection for the time being. No need to waste energy. She let the five minutes pass but when there was still no reaction or any sign that someone was coming out of that bank, she started to lose her patience.

„Your time is up, humans." she said. „You come out now or I´ll give the order to shoot down that building." She watched the front of the bank but nothing was there. She ordered her clones to take position in order to destroy the building.

„Wait!" a male voice cried from the inside. Gallaxhessa thought she had heard the voice before. „We´re coming out!" the man cried. „Don´t shoot."

„We won´t." Gallaxhessa assured him with a stern face and then to empathize her position she added: „Except you make us shoot."

Something was moved aside behind the glasswalls of the bank and then an old man with grey hair stepped out. Now Gallaxhessa knew where she had heard his voice before. It was one of the humans that had been on her ship. She would never forget that face. He and the other man had laughed into her face. This other man stepped out of the bank right after him. The others who came out she didn´t know but at least now she knew who had been with Ginormica all the time. Now she could be sure that she would give herself up for them. She just had to. Gallaxhessa only needed to make sure that she really believed that she would kill them.

That made her remember something else and she looked the group over, her clones had just taken into custody. They were only humans. But she remembered that her clones had told her that there was a monster with them. The blue one, wasn´t it that what they had said? Yes, of course it was.

„Where is your monster friend?" she demanded to know. „There is no sense in trying to hide him."

The grey haired man looked at her with a blank face. „I don´t know what you´re talking about." he claimed.

Gallaxhessa answered his look with an equally blank face. „Clones." she then said. „Search the building. They probably hide the monster inside, along with some more humans. Obviously they think they can trick us."

„Nothing like that." the smaller one of the two officers – Monger his name was, she believed to remember – said. „B.O.B. is long gone. He slipped out while your aliens were busy at the front. He is probably already out of the city to deliver the message of our situation."

Gallaxhessa considered this possibility for a moment. But then she decided that she didn´t believe him. „Well then." she said. „Then you won´t have any problem with us destroying the building now. Clones."

„No." Bryce cried and Monger flinched as well when the clones aimed their laser guns at the bank.

„You have anything to say?" Gallaxhessa asked politely. She smiled at the grim face the old officer gave her. Then her smile vanished again and she demanded: „Let your people come out now. And B.O.B. of course. Him too."

Bryce exchanged a look with his comrade and then he turned to the bank, his eyes still fixed on Gallaxhessa´s projection. „Kayleigh!" he called out and after a moment of angry breathing he ordered: „Come out. You too Howie. And B.O.B. of course." he added with a cynical look at Gallaxhessa.

After another moment two more humans came out of the bank, a female and a male, closely followed by the blue monster with the single eye. Gallaxhessa smiled. The two humans walked over to their comrades.

„Boss?" the female asked the old officer.

„Its all right." he told her patting her arm.

„Well, well." Gallaxhessa said and faced the young female. „Tell me your name, human." she demanded.

„What does her name concern you?" Bryce barked.

„I just asked a question." Gallaxhessa replied and faced her again. „Answer it." she demanded.

„Lieutenant Kayleigh Adams." the female said.

„Your voice sounds familiar Lieutenant Kayleigh Adams." Gallaxhessa said with a smile. „I believe we already talked, didn´t we?"

No one gave any response to that but Gallaxhessa hadn´t expected one. „Don´t worry." she said. „I don´t take the crazy chick thing personally. I guess it was some kind of insult. But you were following orders I see, and I won´t use that against you."

„Too kind." Kayleigh said.

„I know." Gallaxhessa replied in a good mood.

„What shell we do with them?" one of her clones asked now.

„Just watch them." Gallaxhessa said. „The last remaining robot is on the way to you. Until then you have order to keep them where they are. And I want to talk to the …" In this moment she got a call and put them on hold for a moment. When she saw what the call was about, she decided that she could do this other talk later. „I get back to you." she said. „Keep the prisoners safe until then. Gallaxhessa out."

She switched the channel off and opened the other one. The one to Las Vegas.

...

They had just been led into the room that looked so awfully familiar to Link. So they really were still here. Here at the place where they had hold him the first time. God, how that sounded. The first time. How often could one get captured by the same group of enemies and that over the record braking course of only one day? But no, he had to correct himself. For some reason the word enemy didn´t really fit anymore, did it?

„Don´t worry, Vic." he told his new companion. „We´ll be fine."

„If you say so." Novorsky replied and Link could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

He wished he could have believed that it was uncertainty about their fate but he knew better than that. The technician wondered if Link could assure him that because of something more than just good hope. So far he didn´t say that though. Again Link felt this uncomfortable stitch of bad consciousness in his chest.

Novorsky´s uncertainty should be solved rather quickly. To accomplish that it needed only one alien to come up to them and tell Link: „Gallaxhessa wants to talk to you."

Link threw a brief look at Novorsky. The technician just looked back at him and didn´t say a word. Link sighed and then nodded. The alien led him to a screen. They had already build up a whole command poste in here. On the screen he saw the familiar face of the enemy.

„Oh, Link." she moaned when she saw his face. „What did they do to you?"

„Daddy wanted to know why I came home so late." Link said.

Gallaxhessa frowned confused. „Daddy?" she asked.

Link chuckled in silence. „Sorry." he said. „Was supposte to be a joke."

„I don´t think they were joking when they did this to you." she replied serious.

Link touched his jaw and winced at the pain he felt under his touch. „No." he agreed. „I guess not."

„Gallaxhessa." one of the clones spoke up and shoved Novorsky into the picture. „This man was with the Link when we found him. What are we supposte to do with him?"

„Is this the man who …?" Gallaxhessa demanded to know but Link threw up his hands.

„No. No." he cried. „He helped me. He is all right."

Gallaxhessa looked Novorsky over for a moment. Her face was hard and considering. „All right." she finally said. „Lock him away with the others. He is still a human." she added for Link.

„Yeah." he sighed.

„Link." Novorsky spoke up behind him. „Whot this means?"

Link looked at him and didn´t know what to say. But it wasn´t necessary to say something. Novorsky saw it in his face. „So Hardwitch wos right." he understood.

„If you believe that." Link said with a sigh.

Novorsky lowered his gaze for a second. His eyes were still not understanding but he had definitely opened up his mind about what was going on here.

„Listen, pal." Link said. „I told you to run and hide. I didn´t want you to be here." Novorsky just kept staring at him with this accusing but somehow sad face. „You´ll be fine." Link assured him.

„I gess sow." Novorsky replied gloomy and let the aliens lead him away.

Link looked after him until the door behind them was closed. Behind him Gallaxhessa addressed him gently and made him turn back to her.  
„Are you all right?" she asked him. „Is he a friend of yours?"

„I ehm … no. I mean yes." Link said. „He helped me escape. But … no he is not a friend of mine. I barely know him."

Gallaxhessa nodded. „He will be treated well." she promised. „Just like the others."

„So you really have them here." Link understood. „Henderson and his men. Thats what Hardwick wanted to know from me." He touched his chin again and decided to better let it be. „I … I didn´t believe you." he said.

„I told you I wouldn´t kill them." Gallaxhessa recalled.

„Thats not what I mean. I´m talking about … about this thing with the humans. You literally told me that this would happen but I wouldn´t listen. I better had. I mean look at me."

„I´m sorry you had to learn this lesson that way." she said.

„Yeah, me too."

„Don´t worry. The men who did this will be punished."

Link halted. „What do you mean, punished?" he asked. „How?"

She hesitated with her answer, thinking it over. „I think it would be best to let you decide that when the time is up." she finally said.

„Me?"

„They did this to you after all." Gallaxhessa explained. „I would think that only appropriate."

Link thought this over for a moment. He was still not sure what to make out of this but he figured it might be better if he decided what should happen to Hardwick and the others – he still loathed that guy but he didn´t want him to be killed or something equally exaggerated. So he nodded.

„Okay. But tell your clones not to kill anyone, right?"

Gallaxhessa sighed. „I´m afraid I can´t promise you that." she said. „This is war."

„But … they are humans."

„Link!" she cried. „Look what they did to you. And your friends. They already shot two of them now. I was able to take care of one of them. The moth I don´t even know about."

„Your clones can´t find him?" he asked now concerned about his friend.

„He flew away from the city." she said. „That´s all we know."

Link´s thoughts were racing. That meant he flew into the desert. What if he couldn´t fly any more and had to land … or if he crashed? There was nothing out there and the sun was burning like in an oven. He would die out there.

„I need to find him." he said. „I …"

There was a brief silence in which neither of them said a word. Eventually Gallaxhessa said: „I could send out one of my robots to look for him. But I can´t promise if it will …"

„I go with it." Link cried immediately. „I have to go and find him."

Again Gallaxhessa hesitated. Eventually she said: „I believe that should be possible. But I have to send at least one of my clones with you to operate the robots system."

„Yeah, sure, thats okay." Link cried. „Just bring me out there."

Gallaxhessa nodded. „I send the order to the robot." she said. „It should be there soon."

...

„Novorsky!" Henderson cried when he saw the technician.

„May-jorr." Novorsky nodded firmly at the other man. He had been led into the room where the soldiers were hold. They were all sitting on the floor, guarded by aliens. One of them pushed him in the back and he sat down on the floor next to Henderson.

„How did they got you?" the Major wanted to know.

„I caim here wit thej Mjissing Link." Novorsky told him.

„The Link?" Henderson cried. „Where is he now?"

„Owtsid-e."

„With them? What do they want from him?"

Novorsky shrugged. „They want talk." he said.

„Talk?" Henderson repeated. „But … Novorsky what happened?"

„That is … long and … complicated story." Novorsky said. „I´m still not sure myself."

„Well, we seem to have the time." Henderson pointed out. „Tell me."

„Well, after you vanish, Liu-tennant Hardwitch took over command. He was convinced the Mjissing Link was risponsibul for you vanishing. He gave order to arrest the other monsters."

„Arrest the monsters?" one of Henderson´s men cried behind them. „How the hell did he do this? They are huge."

Novorsky just shrugged.

„They didn´t try to run?" Henderson asked not less surprised and got a headshake. „Go on." he then demanded.

„After sum time, the Link caim back." Novorsky told them.

„Just like this?"

„Yes."

„Did he say, where he was?"

„He got no chance. Hardwitch tuk him and … questchoned him." Novorsky halted and looked at Henderson as if waiting for something.

„I understand." Henderson said in a stern tone. „Go on."

„Thee aliens attacked and we ren. But they catched us."

„Understand."

„No, you not." Novorsky objected.

„Then tell me what I missed."

Novorsky sighed. „Maybe, the Liu-tennant wos right." he said.

„What?" Hendersond didn´t understand.

„Maybe our opini-on of the Link wos too much made of … good hope." Novorsky said.

„What the hell is that supposte to mean?" Henderson cried. „Dammit, Novorsky, what is going on out there?"

Novorsky opened his mouth to say something but then just shook his head. „I dun´t knoo." he said.

...

„What is it?" Alisha cried when she and Perez ran over to Eddy. He had called them over radio barely two minutes ago, and he had sounded as if a bomb was on the way to hit the city. Alisha reached the edge of the roof first.

„Look at this." Eddy said, pale as a fish. He handed her his binocular but she wouldn´t have needed it to see what had given him this fright. In the distance there was a line of fire. A highway as it seemed.

„Oh, god." she exhaled and looked through the binocular. „When did this happen? HOW did this happen?"

„Just a second before I called you and I have no f … freaking idea how this happened. When I looked it just … happened."

„What do you mean it just happened?" Perez asked after he finally had caught up.

„It ran over the highway like a roller." Eddy cried. „Just like this."

„Just like this?"

„Just like this."

„Well, I think I don´t like this." Perez said absolutely serious. That was until Alisha looked up at him with an equally asking and warning gaze. She was not amused. At this Perez hurried to look somewhere else. And that was a good thing because this way he saw how the next thing happened. Something seemed to shoot up between the buildings near the highway. Something white.

„Shit, look at this!" he cried and pointed ahead. „You see that?"

Alisha looked and found it. „Thats water." she said. „Something must have smashed a hydrant."

„Two of them." Eddy corrected and pointed at a second spout.

Alisha searched it with the binocular and nodded when she had found it. „Thats our firebug." she said. „Thats exactly what happened here."

Eddy and Perez strained their eyes to see what she saw. The spouts had started to vaporize themselves in the heat that was in the air. A weak wall of fog started to cloud the area but it vanished again very quickly. The highway was still burning.

„Why did it light a street?" Perez asked.

„I don´t know." Alisha said and stood up. „But it will burn down the whole city if we don´t stop it."

„Stop it? What the hell you mean with that?"

„Exactly what I said." she replied and took her walkie out. „There are no fire fighting units. If this thing inflames something where no hydrants or pipes are around, we can cancel D.C. for the next few vacation seasons."

„But … you don´t even know where it is." Perez argued.

„We know it was there just a view minutes ago." Alisha pointed at the highway. „Eds, you stay in contact with us as long as these things will allow it. Keep us informed and if anything like this happens on another place, tell us."

„Okay." Eddy affirmed uncomfortable.

„I´ll probably regret this, Al, but I let you in charge while I´m gone." Alisha said and then pressed the speaker button on her walkie. „Everybody, this is Lieutenant Simmons." she called. „Drake. I need you and two more ready to leave on the double. Bring your sidearms, enough ammunition and if you find some, asbestos suits. We´ll catch ourselves a flamethrower."

* * *

**Aaaand cut. Great work everybody. We pick it up on exact that point next week. See you then. **

**And thanks for reading. It was a pleasure – as always. **


	42. Chapter 42 Survivors

**Hello, friends. You know what, I had a dream last night about this story. But since I´m the writer I didn´t dream it like watching a film but like I wrote it. I was in the process of writing this next chapter you will read soon, knowing that there would be a lot of more chapters ahead. But then something happened (I think it was a bomb or something that dropped down in the story) and suddenly the story was over. No worries everybody survived but the story was over nonetheless. I always said the story writes itself and in my dream in definitely was that way. Not even I saw it coming. Talk about twisted minds. This story starts to haunt me in my dreams.**

**All right, enough of this. I just needed to tell you guys this. Strange. Weird. Insane stuff. But you already knew what you got yourself into by starting to read this. Lets just hope we all are ready to face the consequences. I sure hope that I am.**

**In this spirit …**

* * *

**Survivors**

It was a strange picture that lay before them. But what picture had not been strange so far? The highway was burned and black under a grey sky. It looked as if it came right out of a black and white photograph. Many little hills were all over the burned street like blisters on a sick skin. Alisha had a good idea what they had been before the fire. She had seen it before.

"Base, this is Simmons." she called over radio. "We reached the highway. No sign of the flamethrower so far. But we found a whole bunch of burned aliens."

"Aliens?" Eddy cried on the other end.

"Looks like they were in the process of transporting something down the highway. Its a big machine and if I had to guess, I´d say its some kind of generator. No idea what they wanted with it but as it seems the delivery will be delayed. This thing is toast."

"What about the …?"

"We already search the place." Alisha beat him to it. "If you see a flame shooting up in this place, you know who it was this time."

"Gosh, don´t say something like that." Eddy whined. "Its bad luck."

Alisha smiled. She looked over the area again. Drake and the others were looking around. This firebug had to be somewhere. They were all wearing asbestos suits, so if this thing should try to attack, it would have a harder time with them than it had had it with the aliens.

"Hey!" she heard one of them yell out. She believed it was Adam Cooper. "Over here." he yelled.

Alisha could see him farther ahead. He was bowing over a street sign that lay on the ground. One of the big ones that used to show the direction on the highways. The heat of the fire must have melted the pedestal. Cooper lifted the sign and threw it aside. When Alisha saw what was beneath it, she gasped. It was a young girl, maybe seventeen years old. She started to run.

"Is she alive?" she asked.

Cooper felt for a pulse and nodded. "She was damn lucky, I´d say." he said. "Looks like the sign saved her from being burned."

Alisha looked down on the sign and saw that it was black on one side. Cooper was probably right. She had been lucky. Then she looked at the unconscious girl. She was a young woman but she had the face of a child. Her long blond and curly hair was scorched at the ends. Drake and Ronny Carson the forth man in their team, had reached them by now.

"What do we do with her?" Cooper asked.

He tried to take her off the ground but in this moment, she woke up and started to scream. It happened so suddenly, that the four Marines jumped in shock. Cooper who had stumbled back at her scream, tried to grab her hands but she hit out with them still screaming that he didn´t got her. She skipped back and now she started to sob under her scream. She did both the same time, crying and screaming. Alisha wasn´t sure if she was aware of who was with her or if she was even awake. She just threw herself to the ground, cowering on the pavement as if she was lying in her bed and then started to sob violently.

"Daddy!" she cried between her sobs. "Daddy, where ahahare you? I´m sohorry, Daddy. Please. Pleaheheheeese ..."

Alisha went down to her knees and lay a hand on the crying child´s shoulder. So did Cooper. But still she didn´t stop. She just went on crying and calling for her daddy who wasn´t there to calm her down. After a while she fell silent again. If she had been awake in this hysterics, what Alisha still doubted, she was now unconscious again. Alisha took a heavy breath and she wasn´t the only one.

"What are we doing with her?" Cooper asked again.

"We can´t leave her here." was all Alisha knew to say in this moment. She looked around and then at her men. "Did you find anything yet?" she wanted to know.

"No, Lieutenant." Drake answered.

She nodded and looked down on the girl again. "Spread out again." she ordered. "Secure the area. I take care of her until she wakes up."

"What if she doesn´t wake up?" Cooper asked.

Alisha didn´t know how to answer that. Instead she said: "Help me to move her."

Cooper hesitated for a second. Last time he had tried to pick her up, it had resulted in a screaming attack. But then he put his arms under her and lifted her up. She didn´t scream this time. Alisha pointed to a corner at a building next to the street and Cooper carried her over there.

"You have a quarter to secure." she told Drake and Ronny. The two men nodded and went away. "You too." she said when she went to her knees next to the girl. "Stay in contact."

"Aye aye, Lieutenant." Cooper said and went away to join the others.

Alisha sighed when she looked at the girl. Now she looked as if she was peacefully asleep. Except for the scorched hair and the bruise on her forehead. Alisha took the first aid box out and bandaged her head. After she was done with that, she tried to give her something to drink. Carefully she sat the bottle on her lips. Very slowly. She didn´t want to accidentally drown her after all. But she had touched the girls forehead and she knew enough about medicine to know she was dehydrated.

Her concern about drowning her turned out to be unfounded. The water touched her lips and immediately she started to drink on her own, as if she had just waited for it. She drank appreciatively like someone who was dying of thirst. Still Alisha was sure she was not aware of the process. It was as if her body did what she couldn´t do on her own. Alisha kept holding the bottle for her until it was empty. She remembered her mother who had always said that people get especially thirsty when they had fever. She just hoped the girl wasn´t ill. That she would be all right when she woke up. She had no idea how to handle a sick person right now.

After she had taken the last sip of the water, the young girl´s eyes started to open. Alisha hold her breath and waited until she looked at her. For a moment, she didn´t seem to notice her presence but then, these blue eyes went wide and the girl gasped in fear. She tried to skip back again but this time there was a wall in her back.

"No, its all right." Alisha tried to talk to her. "Its all right. I´m a human. You are save. Shhh. Calm down. You are save now."

"The fire." she gasped and looked around in fear. "Oh, god, the fire. It was so hot."

"The fire is out." Alisha assured her. "Don´t worry. Its over."

The little girl´s face broke into a mask of tears again. "I ... I thought it would burn me too." she sobbed.

Alisha gave her a smile. "Well. It got a bit of you." she said and touched the scorched curls that lay on the girl´s shoulder. When the girl saw this her tears went bigger but only for a moment. She got hold of herself better this time.

"What´s your name?" Alisha asked her.

"Jessy." the girl sobbed. "Jessy Mitchell."

"Jessy. I´m Alisha Simmons. Don´t worry, everything will be fine now."

Jessy didn´t say anything, just nodded. Alisha hesitated but then she went on: "Jessy, I need to ask you something." she said. "Did you see what made this fire?"

"The aliens?"

"The fire burned the aliens." Alisha denied shaking her head. "I don´t think they made it themselves. Except they are the worst target shooters in the whole universe."

Jessy blinked for a second and then chuckled. Alisha was glad to see a smile on that face. A girl like her was supposte to laugh and not to live such a living hell. She had a sweet smile, even between all that dirt and the scratches.

"You are with the army?" Jessy now asked her carefully.

"Close." Alisha said. "Navy."

"Are you here to fight the aliens?"

"Right now we are here to find what made those fires." Alisha explained. "But sure. If we meet any aliens we will fight them back as well."

Jessy looked as if she was close to tears again.

"Do you live here, Jessy?" Alisha asked her. "With your Daddy?"

Now Jessy´s eyes went big. "Why do you say that?" she asked sounding a little suspicious.

"When we found you, you started crying." Alisha explained. "And you called for your Daddy a few times." Jessy lowered her gaze hearing that. "Does he live nearby?" Alisha asked.

Jessy shook her head. "No. My father died when I was eight." she said.

"I´m so sorry." Alisha said.

"My mommy too." Jessy went on and it was obvious that she was still sad thinking about it. „I grew up with my grandparents."she told her.

"Do _they_ live here?" Alisha asked.

"No." Jessy shook her head. "I ... I´m not from Washington. I just came here. To meet someone."

Alisha nodded. "When did you arrive?" she asked her.

Again Jessy started to cry. "Today." she managed to bring out.

Alisha lay a hand around her shoulders. "Don´t worry." she said. "You can come with us. We take care of you. Nothing will harm you as long as you stay close to us."

"You can´t protect me." Jessy sobbed. "No one can. They are everywhere."

"We know how to handle these aliens." Alisha assured her. "But if you are afraid to stay in the city, I could order one of my men to escort you to our base at the city limits."

"I´m not afraid of being here in the city." Jessy said.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

Jessy looked at her with her blue and wet eyes, desperately trying not to sob. "From being alone here." she said.

Alisha wanted to comfort her but she had no idea how. This little girl seemed so lost. Her tears made her want to cry along with her. But she was a Marine and in charge of this operation. She couldn´t allow herself to cry about every civilian they would meet. And Jessy wouldn´t be the last one, that was for sure.

"Lieutenant." she heard Drake call for her and then two of her team came around the corner. "Lieutenant Simmons. Ronny found something." Cooper told her.

"What is it?"

"We have a clue which way our firebug went." Drake said with an optimistic smile.

...

„Okay, and what am I supposte to do now?" Link asked.

„You don´t need to do anything." Gallaxhessa answered. „My clone will do all the work. All you need to do is give the orders. It will obey. You are the captain of this vessel now."

„Captain hm?" Link smirked. „Well, that sounds quiet great if I may say so."

„Agreed." Gallaxhessa said.

Link´s smirk disappeared. „Thanks." he said. „For your help."

„Don´t mention it." she said. „I hope you find your friend."

He nodded. „Strange." he then said pointing around himself. „All this, I mean. Its … twisted."

„Tell me about it." Gallaxhessa agreed. „We two started as enemies after all."

„We still could be." he joked leaning on the panel with a grin. She grinned back.

„Is that a competition?" she asked.

„Maybe." he replied and for a moment they just grinned at each other. Until they realized what they were doing that was. Then they stopped it, a little awkward about the whole thing.

„You can call me if you need any help." Gallaxessa finally said, all business again.

„Okay." Link said in an equal tone.

Gallaxhessa nodded and he mirrored it. Then she signed off and the screen went blank. Link exhaled in relief. Damn, he thought. What the hell am I doing here? He noticed the clone that looked at him curious from aside. Once again he was freaked out by the fact that this clone looked so much like its mastress. It was as if Gallaxhessa had switched off the channel and beamed herself here.

„What?" he snapped.

„What are your orders, captain Link?" it asked.

This captain Link stuff brought him back to reality. It sounded so strange but it also reminded him on the fact that he wasn´t in this giant robot for fun. He had a mission to accomplish. A friend to find.

„We start at the place where he was wounded." he said. „And go on from there."

„That is the place where the humans are." the clone stated.

„Yeah, but we just pass them." Link insisted talking to the clone like a strikt school teacher. „We won´t attack or harm them. Got it?"

„Got it." the clone replied and it sounded as if it was nerved about the fact that he had said that.

Link didn´t care. He had to keep this alien clone on a short line. In some way he was responsible for its actions now. For some strange reason he suddenly got an idea how a probation officer must feel. Especially the kind that had rebellious teenagers under their care. Link had to restrain a chuckle when a picture came up in his head. This alien clone sitting on the other side of a desk with its tentacles on the tabletop, telling him the probation officer in the grey suit to shove off.

He lost the fight against the chuckles and started to laugh. The clone looked at him bewildered.

„What?" it asked him.

„Oh, nothing." he said between his chuckles. The look the clone gave him was just too fitting for the image he´d just had. Nerved and not understanding. The perfect teen on probation. When he still didn´t stop chuckling, the clone just shook its head and focused on the instruments again.

„We now reach the area where the incident occurred." it said.

Link stopped smiling and looked at the screens but they were all black. Couldn´t this just work the way it was supposte to?

„I want to see it." he said. „Bring it on screen."

The alien did and he could see some soldiers who were running around, aiming their weapons at the robot that was attacking them. They were shooting.

„Don´t worry." the clone told Link. „Our shield is fully functional. They can´t hurt us."

„What about the other way around?" he asked.

The clone rolled its four eyes. „I´ll be careful." it promised.

Link kept watching the screen and gasped when he saw how one of the many feet of the robot stepped on the roof of a flat building, crashing right through it.

„What did I just say?" he yelled at the clone.

„Calm down." it said. „There was no one in there."

„How do you know?" Link demanded to know.

„I have my life form scanners." the clone said, still in this nerved tone. It showed it to Link. There were red points where the humans ran around. The building they had just smashed was indeed empty.

„Okay." Link said, still angry. „But if it is possible we will also avoid material damage."

He earned himself another two pairs of rolling eyes. „All right, all right." the clone said. „Man, you earthlings are squeamish."

„Yeah." Link agreed. „We are. Deal with it if you want to stay here."

The clone looked at him but this time didn´t say anything. He was quiet glad about that. He wouldn´t have know what to say anyway. The lesson had reached its target – or so he hoped – and that was enough for the time being. The next few minutes they kept silence. Just watched the buildings of the city go by until they reached the suburbans and finally the desert.

„Stop a sec." Link ordered and the clone did. He looked at the screen and over the landscape before him. „Where to go now?" he wondered to himself. „If I were Butter, where would I fly?"

...

The setup had changed. The place was still the same and so were the acting characters. But everything else was now the exact contrary. They were outside and not armed anymore. They were still opponents to the aliens but no match anymore. Now they were hostages and the opponents were the ones who could dictate the rules. Damn, and it had started so good. For a while it had really seemed as if they could hang on until Stanton and the others were back with reinforcement to get them out. But seem was not good enough when it was war. Especially when it was war with aliens.

The guards were talking with each other at the end of the street where the big robot was parked. The thing had arrived just a few minutes ago and it was a little strange that they didn´t do anything with it so far. It was just here. Maybe they needed it for something that was still ahead. The question was, would they use it as a weapon or for something else?

Two of the clones came over to the group of hostages now. They pointed their guns at B.O.B.

„Gallaxhessa wants to talk to you." it said.

B.O.B.´s big eye wandered unsure over to Monger. The General gave him a nod. It was better not to make any trouble before they knew what they were up to. So the blue blob set himself in motion to follow the two clones.

„B.O.B." Monger called after him and he stopped. „You don´t tell her anything." he said. „Is that clear?"

„Okay." B.O.B. said still a little uncertain and went with the aliens.

They led him into one of the buildings along the street. It was a shop, or it had been a shop once. Now it was some sort of computer store for alien technology. There were consoles and blinking lights everywhere. B.O.B. looked around with great awe. He had never seen something like that. Not even the Doc´s inventions had been as colourful as this.

The thought of Dr. Cockroach made him sad again. He was dead and would never build something like that ever again. Recalling this made B.O.B. remember why he should be angry at these aliens. With that in mind he faced the projection of Gallaxhessa, that was waiting for him on one of those consoles.

„Hello, B.O.B." she greeted him. „I guess you know who I am."

B.O.B. crossed his arms in front of him. „I´m not talking to you." he stated.

„Why?" she asked.

„General Monger said I shell not tell you anything." B.O.B. explained. „So you can save your breath because I will not tell you anything."

„I understand." Gallaxhessa said.

B.O.B. blinked. „You do?"

„Of course, I do. I´m the enemy. You have no reason to talk to me. You General is right."

B.O.B. was confused. He hadn´t expected that. „Right." he said trying not to sound uncertain.

„Right." Gallaxhessa repeated. „So, he told you not to tell me anything. Did he say you shouldn´t listen either?"

B.O.B. tried to remember. „I don´t think so." he said.

„Good. Then listen. I have to tell you some things. I know, you know what I have done so far. What my ex-husband had tried to do before me. But I want you to know that I am not at war with you and your other monster friends B.O.B. I wouldn´t even be in war with humans if they wouldn´t try to resist. If they had just surrendered peacefully when I came here, nothing of all this would have happened."

For a moment B.O.B. was confused again. Was that true? Was it really their own fault that this city was in such a mess now? Did they do that because they fought? If that was so it would be terrible. Then they would have made a terrible mistake. But then he remembered the Doc and Link and he remembered why he had planned not to believe what these aliens said.

„You are lying." he said crossing his arms again. „You are mean and … and … you are a mean person. You killed my friend Link."

„I did nothing like that." Gallaxhessa revealed. „I just pretended to do that, to get your other friend Susan out. It was a fraud. Link is okay."

B.O.B. halted. But then he said: „I don´t believe you."

„You want to talk to him?" Gallaxhessa offered. „I can put you through to him right now."

„Put me through? Through what?" B.O.B. asked a little uneasy.

„I mean I can call him." Gallaxhessa explained a little unsure. This monster was a strange one.

„Oh." B.O.B. said. „Okay. Do that. But you can´t call him anyway, because you killed him."

Gallaxhessa just smiled. „Give me a moment." she said. „I´ll be right back."

...

Link was drawn out of his musing when the beeping started. He jumped but in some way he was also glad about the disturbance. He had still no idea where to start looking for Butterflyosaurus. The desert was so big and there were so many possibilities where one could head. Like a sun with a billion beams so to say, each beam another possible way. If they would chose one and it was the wrong one, they would lose precious time, while Butter might lay (die) on the end of another.

Next to him the clone answered the call. Gallaxhessa´s face appeared on the screen.

„Link." she greeted. „Sorry to disturb you but …"

„Its all right." he said frustrated. „You didn´t interrupt very much right now."

„Sorry to hear that." she said.

„Ah, dammit." Link cursed and then sighed. „Sorry." he said. „Its not your fault. I … I just have no idea where to start."

„Well … I wish I could help more but …"

„You helped enough already. Sorry I didn´t want to lay it on you." he sighed again. „Why do you call?"

„Well. There is someone who wants to talk to you."

„Is the Doc awake?" Link cried hopefully.

„No, its not him. Its another friend of yours. The blue one."

„B.O.B?"

„Thats his name. He thinks you are dead. I admit that this is probably my fault." she said smirking. „I thought you might be able to convince him that you are still alive."

Link smirked when he thought about B.O.B. and how the poor fella was probably confused. „All right." he said. „Put him through."

„Here he comes." Gallaxhessa said and her picture was replaced by B.O.B.´s. The single eye within this blue mass went wide at once.

„Link!" he cried. „We thought you were dead."

„Its all right, buddy." Link said smiling. „As you see, I´m fine. That was just a trick. They didn´t hurt me a bit."

„But … We saw it in the sky."

„That was just a generated picture." Link tried to explain. „You know, like in the movies. Its not real."

„It looked real." B.O.B. said.

„Yeah, I guess so. But don´t worry. Everything is fine."

B.O.B. thought it over for a moment. Then he asked: „Where are you?"

„Vegas."

„Are you a prisoner, like me and the others?"

„No, B.O.B. I´m not caged. I´m looking for Butterflyosaurus. He … he was hurt and I don´t know …"

„You don´t know where he is?" B.O.B. cried worried.

„No."

„Did the aliens hurt him?"

„No." Link sighed. „No, it was the humans."

„What?" B.O.B. cried. „But … But we are on the same side."

„I know. It … Its a long story." Link said.

„Wait a second." B.O.B. now mused. „Why can you talk to me over alien technology when you are not a prisoner?"

„Because … I´m in an alien robot." Link tried to explain it without overcharging his brainless friend. „I already told you I´m looking for Butterflyosaurus."

„Where is he?" B.O.B. asked again.

„I don´t know." Link said. „Somewhere in the desert, I guess. But I have no idea where to start looking." he hit the console with his fist in frustration.

„Well. If I were him, I would look for a pool." B.O.B. said. „Its hot in the desert."

„I know, B.O.B." Link groaned tired. But then he had an idea. „You are right, B.O.B." he cried astonished. „You are absolutely right. It is hot." he turned to the clone and asked it: „Are there any lakes around here? Can you find that out? Maybe he landed there somewhere."

„Of course I can find that out." it said. „I scan the area for bodies of water."

„Do you now know where he is?" B.O.B. asked eagerly.

„Maybe I have an idea now." Link affirmed. And then he gave him a thumb up. „Great work B.O.B. Really great work."

* * *

**So much for now, even if it wasn´t that much at all. If it was a little short then it is because I was a little lack of inspiration this week. Sorry for that. Hope you enjoyed it anyway.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	43. Chapter 43 Water

**Hey there. I don´t make much words today. I use to talk too much anyway. Just one thing.**

**Suewe: about your question. Mastress is just the female version of master. At least I think it is. If the word doesn´t exist, I made it up. Artistic license. **

**And thats it. Have fun reading.**

* * *

**Water**

It was unbelievable how much water there was. First it had been just a little pond and a small trickle, a very pitiful excuse for a river. But slowly it had widened and the spare vegetation on its edges had increased. After a while it had almost looked like the famous oasis in the desert. A lively rolling river with green trees growing on each side. It looked promising. Promising enough to let Link believe that there could be hope after all. Hope to find life along this river. Sometimes it had looked even nice, looking at this scene, the rolling river and the green it produced and in the background the mountains under a blue sky.

And then they had reached the end of the river. The place where he had thought his heart had to stop for a second. Maybe it had. It was as if B.O.B. hadn´t just guessed but foretold it psychically. Look for a pool, he had said. And if that wasn´t a pool. It was probably the biggest pool Link had ever seen. Not that he had seen too many pools in his life but he had seen pictures and of course he had seen Coco Beach. And this one could easily compete with Coco Beach. It was great. If he hadn´t been here to look for his wounded friend, he would have asked the alien to stop and let him out for a swim. This place was just tempting.

First it had only looked like a small version of Venice. A row of houses that were built on a bridge crossing the lake from one side to the other. But then they had crossed these buildings – and crossing meant stepping right over it with the robots long legs – and wow. What had they seen.

Palms swinging under the blue sky, neat little houses along the lake and boats tied on piers. Hotels were spread here and there and he could even see a golf course. It looked like the goddamn riviera. B.O.B. had been right. This was the biggest pool one could ask for, especially in a desert city like Las Vegas. The only problem was, that he could see nothing of Butterflyosaurus.

„Can you scan any life forms?" Link asked the clone.

„Yes, captain Link." it said and started to work on the computer.

Link flinched a little at this name. „You know." he said. „The thing with the captain Link before, was just a joke."

„Yes, captain Link." the clone said, not looking up at all. „I found life signals all over the place." it informed him.

„What?"

„The buildings are filled with it. Obviously humans that are hiding."

Link groaned. „Nothing bigger than that?" he asked. „You know, something monster-size?"

The clone rolled its eyes and searched again. Link could see the form of the lake on the screen. Very long, small at first and then getting a little wider before it made a bow after which it ended in a spiky end. There were spiky edges all over the shore. Link thought it looked a little like a distorted seahorse. Or any other kind of mutated sea creature.

„I have a reading of something." the clone informed him now.

But that wasn´t even necessary. Link could already see the blinking red point at the far side of the lake. As far as Link could see, there were no buildings at this point of the lake anymore. The resort around this lake, went only halfway along its shores. Maybe because there was nothing beyond it. At least there was nothing Link could see. Only bare mountains and then the desert took over again.

„What is it?" he asked eagerly, leaning forward.

„I can´t tell." the clone said. „But its definitely not a human. Its much bigger than that."

„Let´s go and have a look." Link ordered.

He´d said it as calm as he could manage. But inside he was biting his nails. That´s him, he thought. Butter. And he´s alive. He has to be alive for these instruments to find him. But how much? Or how less? He was almost afraid of what he would see as soon as they found him. He had seen the blood on his friend´s belly when the soldiers had shot him and that had looked cruel. What would he see now, after he had been lying in the heat of the desert for so long? Thinking of that made him suddenly realize that he had no idea what the hell he would do then. As a matter of fact he hadn´t thought about what he would do when he found him at all. He had only thought about finding him. But what then? He was no doctor. He had no idea what to do then.

The robot made its way to the place where he was. The clone obviously was as anxious to get there as Link because it took the shortest way there. That also included crossing streets with rows of houses and gardens.

„Hey! Careful!" Link cried.

„I don´t step on any houses." the clone cried back and it did it in a tone that asked: When will you ever be satisfied with my driving?

Fortunately there were not so many houses to crash anyway. After the first row they walked over a field and when there were more houses there was enough space between them to walk right through. A few minutes later they left the green place behind and it was as if they had never been there. As if the green had been cut off. Unbelievable but the desert looked as dead as ever. No trees, no water, not even one single blade of dry grass. Only the waste lands of the desert. And that way it stayed. It stayed that way until Link started to believe they had left the lake behind and were about to cross the desert completely. But a look at the screen showed him that they only rounded the lake and were indeed approaching the place where Butter was.

And then he finally saw water again. Only that it hardly looked like a lake any more. More like a broad river. It was one of the last arms the lake spread out before losing the battle against the desert. The farthest point actually. The one that was as far away from everything along the lake as possible. Butter must have been afraid to be found by humans. Or maybe he had not wanted to scare them even more. Or maybe … Or for cry out loud. Link didn´t care, why he was hiding here. He just wanted to find him and then … do something to help him.

They reached the rocks along the shore and stopped there. From this point they could see the whole arm of the lake. Some bushes were growing at the edge of it but nothing of this was big enough to hide a moth as big as Butter. There was an arm of land that reached into the lake on the other side but it was flat and they could easily look at what was behind it. Everything was just plain open. So why was there no sign of Butterflyosaurus?

„Where is he?" Link demanded to know.

„What do I know." the clone answered. „My instruments say it is right here. Look for yourself."

It was true. The red point was blinking right next to the green point that remarked their robot. According to this display he had to be right in front of them. But there was only water in front of them.

„Oh, no." Link exclaimed and immediately started to look around. „I have to get out. How can I get out?"

„Through the elevator." the clone told him a little bemused.

„Open it." Link ordered but before the clone had a chance to do so, something caught its attention.

„Something is surfacing." it said.

Link swirled back around, his eyes fixed on the screen. He could see the water coming up like earth might do it when a mole was coming up on a field. For a moment this hill of water was all there was, the surface running along this rounding. And then the water was gone and they could see what it was. Link almost forgot to breath. He had been coming to find a friend but he had thought about another one. Now that she was out of the water and faced the alien robot, he could see the anger in Toady´s eyes.

„She´s going to shoot." he realized and rushed back to the console. „You must let me talk to her." he told the clone. „Hurry."

The clone pushed some buttons and then said: „You can talk."

On the screen he could see Toady ducking down in her shooting position. Soon the poison would shoot out of that point on her head.

„Toady, its me!" Link cried. „Its Link. Don´t shoot, its all right."

Toady´s face went from angry to confused. She sat straight again and croaked a question. Link exhaled in relief. That was close. „I need to get out." he repeated and the clone repeated that he had to take the elevator.

When Link stepped out into the hot air of the desert, he could understand why Toady had preferred to hide under water. He hurried over to the rocks that marked the shore of the lake, where she was already waiting for him, an asking look on her face.

„Toady." he cried. „God, where do I start?"

She croaked.

„I had some help." he told her. „This man, Novorsky. He helped me escape."

She looked at the robot and croaked again.

„Well … yeah." Link shrugged. „I had help from different sources." Then he remembered something. „Toady, I need to tell you something. I wanted to tell you earlier but … well, you know what happened. Anyway. Your eggs you were so worried about. They are all right. They hedged." Her eyes went big at these news. „I saw them." he told her. „They are … well, they are with Gallaxhessa."

A worried croak.

„No, no. Don´t worry. They are fine. She won´t hurt them. She promised."

A confused croak.

„I know. Thats hard to explain. She and I … we somehow got to terms, you see. Thats why she borrowed me this robot. To look for Butterflyosaurus."

Toady looked at the robot and then at Link. She was unsure, he could tell. She croaked. He sighed.

„I know." he said. „I know what I said." he sighed again. „Let´s just say, things have changed a lot lately. Gallaxhessa … She has some good points and …"

Toady croaked again.

„Yes, I´m sure." Link said. „She´ll do nothing to harm them. She asked _me_ what to do with them because she was unsure. Believe me, they are save."

Before he even knew what happened there was a big tongue all over him and when he looked again he saw the most grateful eyes he had ever seen in a big creature like Toady.

„You´re welcome." he said and chuckled bemused. Man, he thought. I really have some charm for women lately, don´t I? Then he remembered Butterflyosaurus. „Did you see Butter?" he asked her. „We were looking for him."

She only shook her head.

„Dammit." Link cursed and looked over the lake in desperation. „If he isn´t here, where else can he be? This is the only place where he could have been." Toady croaked and he looked up at her in surprise. „Really?" he asked. „Where?"

She looked into a certain direction and he followed her gaze. Of course he didn´t see anything but the shores of the lake. But if it was true what she said, there was still enough to look at. Toady croaked again.

„All right." Link said. „You swim and we walk. Show us the way." She croaked in affirmation and then dived into the water again.

...

The so called lead Carson had found, had literally been a track. A smothered track of blackness, probably caused by something that was burning. At the first sight Alisha had believed herself that it could be the trace of their firebug. Who knew what kind of traces a thing like that might leave behind anyway? But in this case it had turned out to be a false trace. Because what they found at the end of it after they had followed it for a few streets, was not a mutant firebreathing dragon but a simple burned out transformer. Or something similar. It was alien technology so they couldn´t be sure. But it looked like a small version of the thing that had been on the highway. The way it looked like, the aliens had tried to save it from the fire but had abandoned it when it was clear that this try was a lost course.

„Dammit." Carson the great trace reader cursed disappointed. „It looked so promising."

„Not your fault, Ronny." Alisha said after the tiny smile had vanished from her face again. She could sympathize with his disappointment. She had only smiled because when Ronny cursed it didn´t come in a yell like any other guy would do it, but in a sigh.

„It was a good lead." Cooper agreed. „Unfortunately now we are back to point zero again. Seems we have to start all over again. What do you say, Lieutenant? What should we do now?"

Alisha opened her mouth but closed it again when she found herself lack of ideas. When she was honest she had no idea how to go on. They had come here to find the firebug. Instead they had found a bunch of burned aliens, again, and a traumatized young girl. Not quiet the most successful mission she had ever led. Doing the only thing she could think of, calling the base for possible new informations, she raised the walkie talkie to her mouth. Maybe Eddy had seen something or would see something when she made him look closer. But she got no chance to make the call. In the moment when she wanted to push the speaker button, she heard something. And she was not the only one who heard it. Cooper, Drake and Ronny listened up too.

There was a sound coming from ahead. A clicking sound. No, not just one. Several clicking sounds. Alisha knew that sound. She had heard it on the alien ship. And though the others hadn´t heard it yet, they seemed to guess what it meant. The only one who didn´t seem to notice anything was Jessy. At least she didn´t seem to react.

The sound came closer now.

„Hiding." Alisha hissed and the Marines hurried aside to take cover.

Alisha was almost on the other side, when she noticed that Jessy hadn´t moved a bit. The girl was still standing in the middle of the street, looking ahead with wide eyes and an expression on her face that Alisha could only describe as the blankness of fear. She cursed and ran back to her, grabbed her wrist and dragged her along. Jessy followed but she still seemed so absent minded as if she was a sleep walker.

Alisha led her into a cellar stair and placed her in the corner. Damn these asbestos suits were really no good for jogging units. She was already starting to sweat. Drake and Carson were looking out, their weapons ready to fire. They had the sweat on their foreheads too, plus expressions of highest tension and concentration.

„Jessy." Alisha whispered at the girl, still unable to believe what just happened. Or almost happened. „Jessy, can you hear me?"

„Shhh." Drake hissed and ducked down a little more.

Alisha looked up at him and he signalled her that there were some aliens at the end of the street. No threat for them so far, he told her in military dactylology. But they would keep watching them of course. Alisha turned back to the girl. Her eyes were back to normal now and the Lieutenant was sure she understood where she was.

„Jessy." she addressed her again. „When I give an order, it is very important that you do what I say. Do you understand? We can´t help you if you blank out like this all the time."

Something like realisation came up in the girl´s eyes. More like shock about her own behavior. „I´m sorry." she said quietly. When she looked at Alisha the Lieutenant believed that she would start crying again. She didn´t cry though. But her breaths and hands were shaking.

Alisha lay her own hand over Jessy´s to calm her down. The girl looked down on it. For a moment, Alisha wasn´t sure what she was thinking. That was until she asked: „Will these things really protect you?"

Alisha understood at once that she was talking about the asbestos suits. It was sad and heartbraking. Still this girl couldn´t think of anything else but her close death she had almost suffered in the fire.

„They will." she promised her.

„How do you know?" Jessy asked, still not looking up.

„They can stand a heat of over seven hundred degrees Fahrenheit." Alisha assured her. „They will."

„What if the heat gets higher?" now Jessy was looking at her.

Alisha didn´t know what to say.

„That´s impossible." Cooper said behind her. „It is true, the heat in a fire increases steadily the longer it burns. There it can reach higher temperatures. But coming out of a flame thrower that uses common industrial gasoline, it wouldn´t burn hotter than fife hundred and fifty. Thats usually the ignition temperature of gasoline."

„Usually." was all Jessy said to his explication.

Alisha had to restrain two things at once. A snicker and a groan. The snicker because Jessy had done something so simple as reminding Cooper on the little fact he had forgotten in his speech. That they were most likely not looking for a usual flamethrower but for something that was much more dangerous. Something that might not work like a usual industrial flamethrower. It was the realisation in Cooper´s face that wanted to cause the snicker. The realisation in her own mind wanted to cause the groan. They truly had no idea what they would face as soon as they found this thing. Whatever it was.

That was the moment, when Alisha realized that she had forgotten something else. Jessy didn´t have a suit like theirs. Should this firebug really attack them, they would be save but what about her? How could she forget that? Was she out of her mind?

„You can have my suit, Jessy." she said. „It will protect you from the fire."

„What about you?" Jessy asked almost shocked about the idea.

„Don´t worry about me. I´m responsible for your safety and since we don´t have another one …"

„Actually …" Carson suddenly chipped in, raising a finger like in school. „I have another one with me."

Alisha couldn´t believe what she just heard. „You have what?" she cried.

„Well." he shrugged. „I just thought in case … you know. We are supposte to be ready for every eventuality and I thought to myself, maybe we will need another one. I mean, I didn´t really expect that we would need another one but …"

„Its all right, Ronny." Cooper interrupted him. „I think we got the idea."

„Why didn´t you tell me earlier that you have another suit?" Alisha asked.

„I … I don´t know." Carson stuttered. „I just didn´t think of it. I´m sorry. Here you are." he hurried to get his backpack off his back and got the little package out that contained the asbestos suit.

„They are moving away." Drake informed them from his viewing poste.

„Where?" Alisha wanted to know.

„Can´t tell." Drake said. „But they are quiet busy with something."

Alisha thought this over for a second. „Ronny." she then said. „You and Drake follow them. Stay in viewing range if possible. But keep an eye on them. I want to know what they are up to. And be careful."

The two Marines nodded and then sneaked out of their hiding place. Alisha handed Jessy the suit.

„Put that on." she said. „And hurry. We don´t have much time."

...

It had been only a few minutes in which they had followed Toady along the shores of the lake. She had led them to an outlet that was not directly connected with the lake. At least not on the surface. The water went through the underground for a little less than a mile before it surfaced again and actually became a river. It was not much bigger than the one they had followed to find the Lake Las Vegas with the resort at the end. It was even smaller actually. But Toady had said that there was a bigger lake to come at its end and he believed her. She hadn´t been there. She just knew it. She was a creature of the sea and her instincts were profound in this regard. Link could feel it too. Something big was ahead. He just hoped that this big something was not just the water. That there would be something else that was big.

A signal at the console before him interrupted his thoughts. The clone answered the call before he could even ask what it was. Another clone appeared on the screen. Link found it a little strange that he was so absolutely sure that the face he saw on that screen was not Gallaxhessa herself. There was no mark or anything in those faces that would tell the difference between her and her clones. Still he knew that it was not her. Since he had no better explanation for that, he gave his instincts the credit for this enormous guesswork.

„The blob wants to talk to the Link." the clone on the screen reported.

„B.O.B.?" Link asked and saw his blue friend peeking into the screen from aside. The clone cleared the space for him so he could move into the picture completely.

„What is it B.O.B.?" Link asked.

„Did you find Butterflyosaurus?" B.O.B. asked but somehow Link had a feeling that this was not the mean point why he had called.

„No." he said. „But I found Toady."

„Toady?"

„Yes. She helps us find Butter. We follow a track now."

„Aha." B.O.B. said and then hesitated. Link sighed.

„B.O.B." he said. „What is it? You want to know something, don´t you?"

„Its about what you said before." B.O.B. started and looked around suspicions. When he went on he talked more quiet as if he could truly keep the aliens from listening with that. „You said you are not a prisoner." he recalled. „But that doesn´t make sense."

„In a matter of fact it does." Link said.

„No, it doesn´t." B.O.B. insisted. „Because I think I am a prisoner and Monger and the others are surely prisoners. That´s why I don´t understand why you …"

„Wait." Link interrupted him. „Monger is with you?"

„Not any more. He and the others are outside. On the street."

„Is Susan there too?" Link asked, remembering what Gallaxhessa had planned to do earlier. But of course she couldn´t be there. If they would have captured her, he would have heard about it, wouldn´t he?

„No." B.O.B. now told him and then lowered his voice even more. „She was." he whispered. „But she made herself invisible along with some other guys. That was just before we got trapped. Monger says she´ll come back soon with help to get us out."

Link had raised his hand to stop B.O.B. from saying all this but obviously too late. When it was out he let his head hang in exasperation. Why did he even try?

„Ehm, Link?" B.O.B. said.

„Yes, B.O.B."

„Did you already explain to me why you are no prisoner?" B.O.B. asked confused. „I think I lost the track."

Link had to laugh about that. Oh, B.O.B. „No, I didn´t." he said. „You didn´t give me a chance yet."

„Oh." B.O.B. said. „Sorry. Will you explain it now?"

Link opened his mouth and found that he didn´t know exactly where to start. This was much more complicated than he had expected. And there was still this pinching bad conscience.

„Maybe I could help here." a voice chipped in unexpectedly. And this time Link knew at once that it wasn´t a clone speaking even before he saw Gallaxhessa´s face on the second screen.

„How long have you been listening in?" Link wanted to know, suddenly angry at her for some reason.

„I happened to notice that you two were connected." Gallaxhessa explained apologetic. „Please forgive me. I couldn´t help."

Link didn´t say anything but turned halfway away from her. She didn´t mind too much and continued by addressing B.O.B.

„B.O.B." she said. „Did I understand you correct, that Susan is on her way to rescue the soldiers my clones hold hostage in the street?"

B.O.B. had already opened his mouth when he remembered who he was talking to and closed it again, crossing his arms demonstratively. Link, who saw this behavior for the first time was slightly confused. Gallaxhessa just sighed.

„What?" Link asked, looking back and forth between her and B.O.B. „What does that mean?"

„His general forbid him to talk to me." Gallaxhessa explained. „At all."

Now Link understood. Of course. He sighed too.

„Did I understand him correct?" Gallaxhessa asked Link.

„Yes." he said.

B.O.B.´s mouth dropped open. „Hey!" he cried. „You told her!"

„You already said it yourself just a minute ago." Link said with a headshake. „She was in the line. She already heard it."

There was an expression on B.O.B.´s face that spoke loud and clear: Oh-oh.

„Its all right, B.O.B." Link said. „Its not your fault."

„And you didn´t do anything wrong with it either." Gallaxhessa agreed. „Now that I know about it, I can prevent a misfortune." She looked at Link again. „I think we both know what will happen, when they arrive. They will attack my clones in order to free the other humans. And my clones will fight back. They would have to."

„You could order them not to do that." Link argued halfhearted but he already knew there was no sense in that argument. Gallaxhessa looked at him kind of sad.

„You know I can´t do that." she said and she was right. „I NEED the Quantonium."

„And Susan?"

„She´ll be fine. My clones will extract the Quantonium from her. This is a painless process. After that she has nothing to fear."

„She´s lying." B.O.B. cried. „Gallaxhar wanted to kill her after he got the Quantonium from her."

„I´m not like my husband." Gallaxhessa cried offended. Her response was sharp and harsh. B.O.B. looked at her with a surprised wide eye. Link made a calming gesture in his direction. Cool, buddy. Don´t argue now. Fortunately B.O.B. understood the gesture.

„Anyway." Gallaxhessa went on after a moment. „My clones will start to shoot as soon as they are attacked. And there is just no way I could prevent that someone will get hurt in this fight. Maybe even killed."

„Except for Susan, isn´t that right?" Link guessed.

„Its true, I gave all my clones instructions not to harm the carrier." Gallaxhessa admitted frankly. „But in the heat of a fight, especially when it is a surprising attack, they won´t look at every human they see before they shoot. My clones are not the most considerable creatures. It might happen too fast for them to know what happened. I don´t want this to happen. I would rather see no one to be harmed if it is possible."

„Then … you won´t fight?" B.O.B. asked.

„I would prefer to handle the situation in another way." Gallaxhessa replied. „Of course I have to try to get to the carrier. I need the Quantonium."

„And you want us to help you with it." Link guessed.

„You would save your friends from being harmed." Gallaxhessa rephrased it.

Link made an estimating motion with his head. „Maybe they are that good that they will overpower your clones." he said.

Gallaxhessa looked at him for a moment. „Maybe." she admitted the possibility. „But do you really want to take that chance?"

Link didn´t answer. He wouldn´t know what to answer even if his life depended on it. But it wasn´t _his_ life that depended on it, was it? No. Not his life. He was perfectly safe. It about was Susan. And Monger. And all the other soldiers, who were there and right in the line of fire. It was their lives what all this was about. And for some reason, some gruesome humor of fate, all this seemed to lie in his hands now.

* * *

**All right, so far for now. We´ll continue this discussion later. Until then let´s take a break. See you next week.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	44. Chapter 44 Where Do We Go From Here?

**Proclamation! **

**Missing: One club-member that goes by the name of Claws McDonald. She already missed two appointments and I start to wonder where she is. Information about her whereabouts please to following address: For the future to come review page. Cause I start to miss my Mexican girl. **

**All right enough kidding around. But honestly Claws. I hope you´re still with us.**

**Lets get back to the story now. Shell we?**

* * *

**Where do we go from here?**

Zach had no idea how much time had passed. His watch had stopped and he supposte it had something to do with the machines that surrounded him. The death of his high tech military watch couldn´t be much longer ago than their entrance in this refurnitured church. Because he was pretty sure it wasn´t that long ago since it had been three sixteen p.m. Now that he thought about it, he was almost sure it had been just around that time when they had reached the door to the university´s chapel. Though he couldn´t look outside to compare the light, he was convinced it was still daylight. Or was it not? Damn, he felt as if he was standing in this corner for hours. Now he understood why there were no windows in casinos, save any kind of clock that could tell people how much time had passed. As long as their environment didn´t change, people would keep gambling, totally zoned out in the games. If only there was a game that could have consumed Zach´s concentration. Maybe then he wouldn´t sit on the tenterhooks right now, ready to scream or maybe to run down a wall. Dammit, if he just knew how much time had passed.

„Would you stop doing this?" Joon suddenly spoke up next to him.

He blinked at her startled. „What?" he asked.

„Fidgeting around like that." she said. „You´re making me nervous with that.

Zach looked down on himself and noticed that he was indeed bobbing up and down nervously on his place. He immediately made his legs stop.

„And you keep looking at your watch." Joon told him not yet satisfied. „I don´t get it. It doesn´t work anyway."

„I know that." Zach said.

„I mean, why would you do that?" Joon went on, bobbing nervously herself. „You know its not working. Still you keep looking at it. It doesn´t make any sense."

„I … I didn´t notice it." Zach tried to explain himself, starting to feel more and more uncomfortable. „Sorry, if I made you nervous."

„You did."

„Just … don´t freak out, okay."

„I won´t."

„Because you won´t help us if you do. Just … sit tight."

„We are not sitting." Joon pointed out looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

„I know." he said. „Thats just an idiom. I just meant …"

„I know what you mean." she interrupted him, tired of his talking.

„Then why do you ask?"

„I didn´t." she claimed.

„Of course you did."

„No, I didn´t." Joon cried now really starting to get upset.

„Joon." he raised a finger at her like a lecturing school teacher but she stopped her ears with her hands.

Zach groaned. „Joon, you won´t help us a bit with this attitude." he said. „Joon."

„Are you two done now?" Dina asked him and gave him a what-the-heck- face.

„She started it." Zach defended himself and immediately realized how childish this must sound.

Damn he was too much on the edge lately. This kind of pressure was not helpful in their situation. He turned back to Joon to apologize but she had still closed her ears tight. To make her look at him, he touched her elbow but she stubbornly skipped away from his touch. He groaned and gave it up. He had known he would regret it that he had taken her along. Now he did. He was no babysitter, dammit.

„If you can´t take care of your prisoners, clone, we will do it for you." one of the aliens called over to Dina.

„I can handle them." Dina said. „_You_ promised me some treatment for my eye." she recalled.

„Yeah, yeah. As soon as I´m done here." the clone replied annoyed and then went on with its work.

Zach sighed. He looked over to where the Doc still lay. On the formation that once had been an altar and now looked more like a stasis unit in a science fiction film. He had tried to figure out what the aliens did with him but he had given up that try. Most of the time it looked as if they were working on their computers instead of treating him. But something they were doing. What other reason could there be for all of this?

„Pst." he made to get Dina´s attention and when she turned to him, he asked: „How is he? Can you tell that from here?"

She looked over at the altar – or maybe she looked at the machines, Zach couldn´t know – and then turned back to him. „He is still unconscious." she told him.

„That much I can see myself." he cried. „I want to know how he is doing. Is he going to wake up any time soon or not? Cause I´m standing in this corner for hours as it seems and I have the bad feeling that I start to get smaller because of that. So would you please answer my question?"

„How am I supposte to know? I´m not a medic clone."

„Yeah." Joon agreed next to him. „Its not fair to yell at her."

„I didn´t yell at anyone." Zach cried. „I was simply asking a question."

„No, you yelled."

„I didn´t yell. And don´t you dare to contradict me on this."

Joon made a face and crossed her arms stubbornly. Great, he thought. Now she won´t talk to me for at least two hours. What the heck. He hadn´t wanted to take her along anyway. Dammit, he never should have. Kids were not supposte to be in combat zones.

„Clone." the one alien from before called Dina again. „What´s the matter over there?"

„Nothing." Dina answered. Then she reconsidered and said: „The prisoners ask for the state of the patient."

„He´s doing good." the clone told them all business and was already back to its console.

„What happened to him anyway?" Zach dared to ask. „You never told us."

Now there was an evil grin on the clones face. It picked something up that looked like a remote control and as it turned out, it truly was one. A screen that hung from the ceiling was activated and then they saw a record that showed the Doc in a room together with some people. One of them was the old professor, Zach recognized. Another one was the annoying idiot that called himself principle. The record showed that the Doc gave his alien gun for some reason into the hands of the principle. A moment later this turned out to be the biggest mistake he could have made. Zach and Joon flinched when the principle tried to shoot the Doc and almost succeeded with it.

„Saw enough?" the alien asked and switched the screen of.

„Nooo!" a completely unexpected voice cried out in this moment and as if to support his cry the machines around Dr. Cockroach started to beep and sizzle. „Don´t shoot!" he cried. „I´m here to help you."

When the clones saw him tossing his head back and forth, they hurried around to find out what was the matter. The beeping increased, when they entered his field of vision. His eyes became big at their sight and he tried to move to get away from them. He couldn´t though. His body was still not responding to his mind´s orders. The beeping increased again.

„Let me to him." Zach cried. „You´re making it worse. Don´t you see that you scare him? He´ll die on a heart attack."

„Zach?" Dr. Cockroach asked into the room. „Zach, what´s going on here?"

„I´m here, C.R." Zach cried back. „Calm down, man, before your ticker bursts." Addressing Dina and the other aliens again he repeated: „Let me to him if you want him to live."

„Zach, what is going on?" Dr. Cockroach asked again, a little calmer now. Or was it weaker?

„Let me go to him." Zach repeated empathizing and this time he was allowed to approach the altar.

When Dr. C saw him he started to gasp again and looked around at the aliens suspiciously.

„Zach." he whispered, his eyes twitching.

„I know." the Marine said. „Don´t worry, they didn´t plan to dissect you. At least I don´t think so."

The Doc looked up at him with big confused eyes. Maybe the word dissect hadn´t been the best idea to mention right now, Zach figured. He made a calming gesture with his hand.

„Just stay calm." he said. „As far as I know they try to patch you up. I have no idea why though."

„We do that because Gallaxhessa gave us the order." one of the clones explained rolling its eyes.

The Doc blinked and looked at the ceiling. „I … I believe I talked to Link earlier." he said. „Did I?"

Zach repeated his gesture form before. His friend had obviously dreamed that up.

„We are the only ones here." he told him. „You talked to no one but me."

„Actually he did talk to the creature that is called Link." the clone chipped in again.

Zach looked at it confused. „How?" he asked. „Don´t tell me he is here."

„Of course he is not here." the clone rolled its eyes again. „He talked to him over interspacenet."

„Inter-what-net?" Zach cried. But then he dismissed the subject and mused instead: „So this Link-monster a prisoner too."

„I´m not permitted to say anything about this." the clone replied.

„I want to talk to him." Dr. Cockroach demanded as weak as he was.

The clone looked at him for a second but then walked away to get a connection. Zach bowed down a little to the Doc.

„C.R." he whispered. „How do you feel? You think you could walk?"

The Doc tried to move a hand but only succeeded in lifting it a few inches before it fell down on the altar, weak and limb.

„I see." was all Zach said to that. „Never mind. Take your time. Its not that I had other plans for tonight."

„Zach." Dr. C said. „If they have Link, and me. What do you think happened to the others? To Susan and B.O.B. and … the others?"

Zach hesitated with his answer. He wanted to say something confident but he didn´t find anything that would sound hopeful enough. The truth was that he had no idea what had happened so far outside of the M.I.T. So he reluctantly sticked to the good old vacuous: „I don´t know." Eventually he added: „At least you know that your friend Link is all right, when they allow you to talk to him."

„Yeah." Dr. C agreed.

The clone came back to them and Zach looked at it expecting. „Do you have the connection now?" he asked it.

„You´ll have to wait." the clone informed them. „Captain Link is in a phone conference and not available right now."

Zach and the Doc looked at the clone wide eyed. They just couldn´t believe what they just heard.

„Captain Link?" they repeated unisono.

...

„You can´t be serious with that." Link cried leaning forward on the panel before the screen with Gallaxhessa´s face on it. The screen on which he had talked to B.O.B. was temporally blanked. When the poor blob had started to ask endless questions about how he and Gallaxhessa could seem so well known already, he had shut the line down, politely asking B.O.B. to wait until he came back to him. Now he was facing a new problem. Or was it the old one? It was incredible how used he already was to the discussions with Gallaxhessa, who technically should be his enemy.

„Of course I´m serious, Link." she now answered. „What do you think?"

„You essentially ask me to betray my friends." he said.

„I ask you to keep them from being harmed." she rephrased it.

„That´s not how Susan will see it. Or the others. Its betrayal no matter what you call it."

„But isn´t that what we were talking about from the beginning?"

„No. Thats what _you_ were talking about." Link said. He looked at her for a moment and then added: „But maybe that is the payment you expect from me, for allowing me to use your robot."

She lowered her gaze for a second. „Of course its not." she said. „But, Link. Think about it. If I would have the Quantonium now, this whole war could be over in an instant. No more fights. No more casualties."

„And the world as I knew it, would be changed forever."

„Did you like the world you knew so far that much?" she asked with a doubting face. „I was under another impression so far."

„Its not about what I like or not. Its about doing the right thing."

„Then make up your mind and do the right thing." she empathized. „Who says that helping me is the wrong thing? Who Link? The humans? The same humans that imprisoned you? The same humans that shot your friends? That tried to …"

„All right, stop it." he yelled. „I got it. We went over this again and again. I can´t hear it anymore."

„Link." she said but then lowered her gaze and shook her head. „You are right. I´m sorry. I can´t ask you to do something you don´t want. Its completely your decision."

„No, Xhessa." he cried. „You´re mistaken something here. Its not my decision. Its B.O.B.´s. You want _him_ to do the dirty job for you after all. Because he is there where Susan is. I´m not. If anyone is ought to take that decision its him, not me."

Gallaxhessa blinked for a moment, stunned over that unexpected nickname he had given her, probably without even noticing it. For some reason this little detail seemed more important to her right now than any of the other subjects they had been debating about. Xhessa. No one had ever called her that. Not even Gallaxhar. He had never given her any nicknames. Sometimes he had called her honey but that had never really sounded loving. Maybe because he had mainly used it to shut her up when they had argued.

„Did you hear what I said?" Link asked her after a while. He looked at her startled and, yes, maybe a little concerned about her missing answer.

„I heard it." she said. „You´re right. B.O.B. has to decide. Of course."

„Right." Link said still looking at her uncertain.

She made herself focus again. „Do you think you can convince him?" she asked.

Finally Link stopped looking at her with this startled eyes and found his way back into the real subject. „I don´t know." he said reluctantly.

„Please." Gallaxhessa said. „Try it."

Link sighed heavily. That was not quiet the result he had expected from this discussion. But on the other hand, what had he expected from all the things that had happened since all this had started? Nothing of course. If anyone could have foreseen that this person must have been a psychic. But since there were no such things …

„All right." he said. „I´ll talk to him. But I don´t promise anything."

And with that he opened the channel to Washington again. B.O.B. looked at him, as if he hadn´t even noticed that he had been gone for at least ten minutes. Link picked the talk up where they had left.

...

The aliens had gathered at the end of the street. Six of them but it was pretty obvious that there were more of them somewhere close. Ronny and Drake were watching them from behind a car that was parked at the curbside. Unfortunately they hadn´t been able to obey the order Lieutenant Simmons had given to keep visual contact. If they had tried to do so they would have lost the aliens, what had hurried along three streets and around two bends to get where they were now. Still the two Marines were not sure what they were doing there. It looked as if they were just chatting, maybe debating what they should do next now that their equipment had been burned. One of them seemed to talk into a communicator, probably to the others that were still around somewhere. And that was what Drake intended to do now as well. He took his walkie up and pressed the speaker button.

„Lieutenant Simmons. This is Drake. Over."

„What is it, Gunny?" she answered after a moment.

„We are in Richmond street." he told her, while Ronny kept watching the aliens ahead. „That is two bends from where we left you. Turn right and then left. We have visual contact to the aliens."

„We´re on our way." Alisha said. „What are they doing?"

„So far nothing." Drake said.

„That´s not true." Ronny interrupted him. „They just started doing something."

„Hold on, Lieutenant." Drake said and looked over the hood of the car. It was true the aliens had started to do something. Only that it was hard to say what it was exactly. They seemed more active now than they had been before. One of them looked at a device it was holding and some of them looked around as if looking for something.

„What is it, Gunny?" Alisha´s voice came over the walkie.

Drake took the hand radio up without taking his eyes off the alien gathering. „It seems they are looking for something." he told her. The alien that was holding the device gave some orders now and a few of the others left the group and vanished out of their sight. Drake nodded. „Yep. They´re definitely looking for something." he confirmed.

„I don´t like that." Alisha said.

„Man, neither do I." Ronny agreed with her and shook his head. He had an expression on his face as if he needed to pee very urgently.

„Pull back." Alisha ordered. „Get some distance between you and those things. Just in case. We meet you in the middle."

„Copy." Drake answered and then switched the walkie off.

They retrieved carefully from the car and didn´t dare to straight before they had reached the corner. As soon as they were in the next street they finally turned around, sure that the aliens they had watched had not noticed them … and faced three mean looking clones and their even meaner looking laser guns. The two of them raised their hands instinctively, just like one would do it in a robbery situation. They exchanged a glance with each other but neither of them could provide any helpful idea in this moment.

„We found them." one of the aliens said in its communicator. „They are right behind the corner."

„Hey listen." Ronny started to talk to them. „We were just looking for the public toilet. If we interrupted you guys by anything, we´re really sorry about that."

Drake threw a look at his comrade unsure what to think. Ronny could sometimes talk the biggest nonsense but he did it in a tone that sounded so completely honest that even he was not sure if he meant it or not.

„How about we just turn around and leave you alone." Ronny went on almost cheerful. „And you just keep doing whatever you did before we interrupted you. What do you say?"

He had started to back up a little and Drake, however uncertain he was, had went along with it, never taking his eyes off the aliens and their guns. When they were back at the corner Ronny spun around on his heel as if he truly intended to just walk away, and as stupid as it was, Drake did the same. What else could he do in this moment anyway? It was a miracle that the three aliens hadn´t followed them so far. But when the two Marines faced the street they had left a minute ago once again, they knew why they hadn´t bothered to follow them. The other three aliens had covered their only possible escape almost perfectly. It was a classic pincer grip and they had walked right into it.

„Don´t move, humans." one of the aliens ordered. „Surrender your weapons."

The two men took their guns and lay it to the ground. They exchanged another glance and after a moment they shrugged almost simultaneously.

„It was a try." Drake said.

„Man, that is really embarrassing." Ronny stated. „That´s like two in a row."

„Technically it was just one." Drake replied.

„Doesn´t make it much better though."

„Right." Drake agreed.

„And now?" Ronny asked.

„Now you will tell us where your friends are." the alien demanded a little confused about the chat it had witnessed so far.

„What friends?" Drake asked.

„The ones you were talking to through this underdeveloped device there." the alien said and pointed at Drake´s belt where the walkie talkie was attached.

„Oh, that." Drake cried. „That was just my girlfriend you know. She´s pissed because I had to cancel our dinner last night. She just doesn´t understand that I had to work, I mean with all this alien invasion stuff and all. Hey, did you hear about that by the way? Messed up, isn´t it?"

„You bet." Ronny agreed with him, grinning as if all of this was truly just a chat between neighbours.

„Anyway, I told her to calm down but she just wouldn´t listen." Drake went on, having absolutely no idea where he wanted to go with that. He just went on talking. „Pretty stupid, hm?" he said. „I mean can you believe that? Women!"

In that moment the faces of their attackers darkened and Drake remembered awkwardly that they all were female.

„Probably not the best comment right now." Ronny stated.

„Probably not." Drake agreed.

„You´ll tell us the whereabouts of your friends." the leading alien demanded once again. „You talked to them on that thing."

„Yeah, okay." Drake admitted. „But hey. The connection was more than bad. Damn dead zones. And look …" he pointed at the antenna of the walkie. „There just one bar left. So you won´t reach anyone right now."

The alien looked at the walkie talkie with a frown. „So you say its not working." it assumed.

„Now you´ve got it."

„That was really good." Ronny praised. „I wouldn´t have checked it that fast."

„You never check anything that fast." Drake replied.

„No, that´s true." Ronny agreed. „But that is just because I have to think about so many things at once."

„Ahh crap." Drake said and to the alien he said: „He is a quick-thinker. You only need to give him enough time."

„What the flagnot are you talking about?" the alien cried annoyed.

„They just try to distract us." another alien said.

„You know that´s right." Drake admitted frankly and confused the aliens even more.

„But why?" one of them asked. „We have you. There is nothing you can do."

„That´s not true." Ronny replied. „We _are_ doing something."

„What? Besides talking nonsense?"

„Well, you see what we are doing right now is called – at least in most countries and higher educated societies that is – what was the word again? Ah yeah, I remember it. Its called stalling. Am I right, Ronny?"

„Absolutely." Ronny confirmed.

„Stalling for what?" the alien asked.

In this moment some shots rang out, three in a row and a moment later there were some more. The aliens behind the two men fell to the ground immediately while the others looked around completely taken aback.

„For that." was all Drake said and then he and Ronny threw themselves to the ground, to provide a clear shot for Alisha and Cooper. A few seconds later the rest of the aliens were dead as well. Footsteps approached them.

„Are you all right?" Cooper asked when they reached them.

„Are there any more of them?" Alisha wanted to know looking around.

„No, Lieutenant." Drake answered and struggled back to his feet. „At least not in the nearest distance. Some might be around somewhere but these were the only ones we could see so far."

„But I´m sure there are more of them." Ronny agreed. „They were talking to them over communicators."

„Apropos." Drake raised his walkie for a second. „I guess that is what betrayed our position, Lieutenant. Maybe we shouldn´t use them any more. I guess these aliens somehow figured out our frequencies."

Alisha nodded. „All right." she said.

„Hey." Ronny cried and looked around. „Where did you leave the girl?"

„Back there." Alisha answered with a gesture down the street. „I told her to hide until we come back." She bowed down and picked up the guns, Ronny and Drake had surrendered. The two of them took them back with a slight feeling of embarrassment.

„Have you any idea where the other aliens could be?" she asked them.

But before any of them had a chance to say something, they heard a sound from far away that made them halt and listen. It was a low sound, somehow roaring. Alisha guessed what it was a second before they heard the explosion. It came out of the direction where they had come from.

„Jessy." she cried and started to run. The others followed on her heels.

When they reached the next bend Jessy was already on her way out of that street where she had been hiding, following Alisha´s order. She was walking backwards, her eyes wide and staring. Staring at what was happening in the street before her. Alisha reached her and could already feel the heat coming out of that street.

„Jessy!" she cried and grabbed her shoulders. The girl stumbled over her own feet when she tried to swirl around and run. Alisha was barely able to catch her fall.

„No, Jessy." she tried to talk to her, while struggling from falling along with her. „Don´t run away. If you run it will get worse. You have to stay with us."

„Oh my god." Drake exhaled when he saw what was going on in the street before them.

The whole street was burning. While they were looking another car went off and almost the same time another one. Just a few feet before the fire there was a hydrant that somehow had gone off too. There was a lot of steam in the air, caused by the confrontation between the heat of the fire and the cooling water. Jessy had stopped struggling in Alisha´s arms but now she seemed to have lost all the strength in her legs and went down to the ground. Alisha kept holding her, just in case she should try to run away after all.

„I knew it had to be here somewhere." Ronny said.

„Spread out and find it." Drake cried.

„Nooo!" Jessy shouted and reached out a hand as if to grab and stop them from going closer to that inferno.

As if to answer her cry another car exploded in the fire. But also some more hydrants that were along the street. They could hear the metal caps jump off and then there was the sound of water shooting out of the hoses. The sound mixed with the roaring of the fire created a strange cacophony in all their ears.

„We need to get away from here." Alisha cried. In her arms Jessy had stiffen now. She was staring into the flames like hypnotized. Alisha had to shake her to get her out of it and back to her feet.

„Did you see it?" she asked her while they were backing off. But Jessy didn´t answer. She was still somewhere in her own world.

„It can´t be far away." Drake said next to her. „We´ll find it."

„All right." Alisha agreed. „Be careful."

The three men spread out, just the way they had done it back at the highway. Alisha led Jessy to a stair that was far away enough from the bend where they had found her and sat her down. Again she was forced to stay behind and babysit while her men were out and risking their lives. But she couldn´t leave her alone. Even if the firebug wouldn´t come and attack her, she could wander off and then they would never find her again. That was if she ever came back out of this catatonic state, Alisha mused. Maybe this had been the last spark that made her system crack completely. The girl looked like in a vigilant coma.

She tried to talk to her but she barely reacted. It was as if she didn´t want to hear her. Alisha felt a stitch of bad consciousness. She had left her behind in that street and now she had been forced to face this fire again. For someone that had been traumatized before this could mean hell. It probably did for this girl. Dammit, Alisha hated it to find civilians like her in a battle zone. Especially when they were girls like her.

After a while Cooper and the others came back to them. They hadn´t found the firebug but they reported that the cracked hydrants seemed to take care of the fire.

„This is a firebug that puts his own fires out after he is done." Ronny tried to joke but he was the only one who laughed about it. When he realized that he stopped laughing and lowered his gaze.

„In any case it seems to be a firebug that likes to burn aliens." Cooper said.

„What?" Alisha stood up. „Don´t say that …"

„Yes." Cooper confirmed. „The street was crowded with at least two dozen aliens before it went off. I guess they were on their way somewhere. Looked like a goddamn migration."

Alisha thought that over for a moment. This had probably been the survivors of the first fire on the highway, she thought. Eventually she nodded. „All right." she said and dragged Jessy back to her feet. „We need to keep going. The firebug might be hiding from us but if it is really after the aliens we might find it when we find the aliens."

„All right, but how do we do that?" Cooper asked. „We don´t know where they were heading."

They reached the next corner and halted for a second. The street before them went downhill and they had a pretty good look over the part of the city that lay before them. They could also see the alien robot that stood there between the buildings, a few miles from their current position. It didn´t move, just stood there as if parked until further notice.

„I guess I have an idea what their target might have been." Alisha said.

* * *

**Do you know it too? Yes? I knew it. All right, see you next week then.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	45. Chapter 45 Ambivalence

**Hello friends. Back for another chapter.**

**Joy: Hello again. Always nice to hear from you. **

**Suewe: That was the weirdest review I ever got. I don´t know if you noticed that it was upside down and some letters were the mirror image of themselves. I could read it but I had to turn my computer upside down (don´t worry, I have a laptop so it was quiet easy, otherwise I would have been forced to make a headstand in front of the monitor ;-) Anyway it was funny**

**But let´s go back to the point now. The story. Here we go.**

* * *

**Ambivalence **

They were still walking along the shores. The river had widened and eventually entered a lake that at first sight had made Link think of Loch Ness. Hadn´t he known exactly that it was impossible he would have believed that it truly was that famous lake in Scotland. It was ginormic. He had thought the first lake they had found with the resort along its shores had been big. But that had been nothing against this. He had even asked the alien clone if they had somehow reached the ocean and if this would be the bay. He had gotten another roll of those four eyes for this. In a tone as if he was the most stupid thing on earth, it had informed him about the geography of his own planet and told him that what he saw now, was the one Lake Mead.

Up until now they had seen Toady´s head looking out of the water of the river they had followed, simply because she hadn´t been able to dive into it completely. But now she had swam out to the lake and had vanished. Link was sure she would be back soon but somehow it felt as if she had abandoned him and he was left behind to keep looking for Butterflyosaurus on his own. The clone next to him didn´t really count as company in his book. At least not as a very pleasant company.

„Scan the area." he ordered with a sigh. He could as well do what they had done so far, even if it hadn´t brought him anything so far.

The clone started to work its computers when a call came in.

„Somebody is calling us, Captain Link." it informed him though it had to know that he was well aware of this fact himself.

„Would you stop calling me that?" he cried. „I´m not a captain of anything."

„I lay it on the screen." the clone said as if it hadn´t heard him.

Another alien appeared on the screen before him. „Captain Link." it greeted him and Link groaned in exasperation. Was everybody using this name now? How the hell was it possible that this had spread so fast like a proverbial wildfire?

„What?" he snapped. „What do you want?"

„The Cockroach wants to talk to you, Captain Link."

„The Doc?" Link cried now all ears again. The screen was moved and then he could see his friend lying on his improved sickbed, where he had seen him before. There were two humans with him now. One man, that was obviously a soldier and a young girl. They all looked at him kinda funny.

„Hey, buddy." he greeted his friend. „Good to see you back with the living."

The Doc didn´t answer. He just kept looking. Then he asked: „Captain Link?"

Link sighed. „Listen." he said. „Don´t listen to that crap. I´m not a captain." he empathized with a look at the clone next to him. „This … is just a joke that got out of hand."

The Doc seemed to consider this for a moment, but then he lowered his eyes. He obviously was ready to accept this explanation. At least for now. And that was good because Link had no idea how he would have explained himself otherwise in this regard. He didn´t understand it himself for gods sake. But just because the Doc was ready to accept his explanation didn´t mean they all did.

„That is all?" the soldier next to him cried. „I´m sorry but this is a little thin, don´t you think?"

Link wasn´t sure what to say. „I don´t know if it is thin." he said. „But its the truth."

„That is not enough." the soldier replied sternly.

„Hey. Who are you anyway?" Link asked.

„Staff Sergent Zacharias McNamara." the man introduced himself and stepped forward. „United States Marine Corps, Quantico. And I demand to know what the hell is going on here. Because there is something really fishy going on and that is not supposte to be a pun, Aquaman."

„Zach." Dr. C said weakly from his place on the altar but Zach didn´t want to listen.

„I don´t know what you plan, Link." he pointed his finger at him. „But whatever it is, I will not …"

„What I plan?" Link interrupted him. „I´m not planning anything. Right now I´m talking to a sick friend of mine and you disturb me. I don´t even know you."

„I´m happen to be a member of the group that went up against the aliens." Zach told him. „I happened to be there when the ship exploded and I happened to survive this only to find myself here at the M.I.T. institute, where I studied, only to find it transformed into a living hell, because of your alien friends."

„You´re yelling again." Joon said quietly next to him.

„I KNOW!" Zach yelled now on purpose. „I know I´m yelling and I have, god knows it, every damn right to."

„Listen, can I talk to my friend alone please?" Link addressed the aliens now. „This guy is getting on my nerves. I don´t need to listen to that."

„Oh, you _will_ listen to that." Zach insisted. „Because I know very well about guys like you. I will not … hey let me go! Take your slimy tentacles off me!"

The aliens had grabbed Zach and were dragging him away now. He was fighting like a mad man but at the end the clones were just too strong for him. Joon followed in utter silence. When they were gone Link sighed and wiped a hand over his face. The Doc looked at him, again with this funny gaze he had had before.

„Is he right, Link?" he asked him. „Tell me he is not."

„Listen, Doc." Link tried to start but was interrupted again.

„They call you Captain, they follow your orders." the Doc recalled what he had just witnessed. „I believe I still have hallucinations." he cried angry. „It has to be, because none of this makes any sense."

„It does, if you just listen for a moment." Link replied. „Or maybe a few moments, because this is not the easiest story to tell."

„I´m very anxious to hear that story." the Doc said with a stern face.

Link opened his mouth and realized, not for the first time, that he had no idea where to start. It was more than true. This story was not an easy one to tell.

„I talked to Gallaxhessa." was the first thing he could think of to start with. „She talked to me." he then rephrased it. „They were holding me hostage back then. She … wanted to exchange me for Susan´s Quantonium."

„Susan." the Doc said and Link could see in his friend´s eyes that he had started to think rapidly now.

„Yeah." he said. „Anyway, her plan didn´t work and she let me go."

„Let you go."

„Yes." Link empathized. For some reason he was slightly angry that the Doc was so reluctant to believe what he had just told him. „I went back to where Butter and Toady were with the soldiers but when I got there, they started to shoot. They shot Butter in the belly. He flew away but I have no idea how far he came. And that is why I´m in this robot now. I´m looking for him. Is that so hard to understand?"

The Doc seemed confused. „Gallaxhessa is helping you?" he asked.

„She is not our enemy." Link said.

The Doc stared at him wide eyed. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. „I believe you are the one who is delusional, Link." he said. „Or am I dreaming this conversation after all?"

„Doc."

„Did you forget what she did to our world?" Dr. C asked.

„No."

„What did they do to you? Did they brainwashed you?"

„Listen …"

„I can´t believe that I´m hearing all this."

„Hey." Link became angry now. „It was not her who shot at Butter. That were our so called friends the humans. I was there, I saw it. Maybe you´ve forgotten that it were humans who imprisoned us. Gallaxhessa promised another way of life for us. For all monsters."

„And you believed her?" the Doc snorted.

„Yes." Link snapped. „If you ask me so directly. I do believe her. I believe her more than I would believe any of what this idiot says that calls himself president."

„You are not making any sense, Link." Dr. C said. „Listen to yourself."

Link raised his finger to say something but in this moment the screen started to flicker and after a moment it went blank. He stared at it in disbelieve.

„What happened?" he demanded to know but the clone next to him just shrugged.

„I thought it might be a good idea to take a break." a voice said and then Gallaxhessa´s face appeared where the Doc had been before. „You were arguing and this is not a good basis for a reasonable talk. It wouldn´t have resulted in anything but yelling."

Link wanted to say something, wanted to ask her who she thought she was, just to interrupt his talk with the Doc, but at the end he just stood there and looked at her. „So you were listening again." he stated almost tired.

„Link …" she started but he just raised a hand to stop her.

„Don´t say it." he said exhausted. „I don´t wanna talk about it."

He turned around and walked over to the other end of the room. There was a thing that was formed like a strange chair. That was his target. He needed to sit down. His legs felt as if he had walked a hundred miles and his head as if he had spend the night next to the loudspeaker of a Rock concert. He didn´t look back at Gallaxhessa or the clone, but he heard that the screen was switched off after a while. He let his head hang, both hands wiping over it until they rested in his neck, and stared blankly at the floor. What the hell was he doing?

...

Major Stanton flattened himself against the wall and peeked around the corner. They were hiding in an allay. Outside they could see the main street where they had expected to find a bunch of aliens who watched the outside of a bank. Instead they had found not only the aliens there but also their own people. Not hiding in the bank any longer but sitting on the ground right between those aliens. Hostages. All of them. Dammit. What the hell had happened?

He went back into the allay. He would have preferred to come over the roofs to this place to have a better view over everything. But this damn robot that was parked at the end of the street made this impossible. They would have spotted them as soon as they sat a foot on one of these roofs. So they had no choice but to hide in the alleys and hope to find a place from where they could start their attack.

„Okay, this could be more difficult than we expected." he told his troop of soldiers and armed civilians. „It seems our guys are captured. Plus there is the robot that watches the area. That means we have a whole lot more to take care of than we initially thought. This is a hostage situation now and there is no way of negotiation. That means there is only one way."

„Moving in." Dean spoke it out.

„Exactly." Stanton turned to the civilian group of their unit. „Mother Harriette, how good are your people when it comes about shooting?" he asked.

„They will hit the broad side of a barn if necessary." she replied.

„Who is the best target shooter from wide distances?"

„That would be me." a small man with glasses answered raising his hand. His name, Stanton believed, was Bobby. He also believed to recall that he was a book keeper.

„Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully.

„I used to practise twice a week." Bobby replied. „I won the regional ADPA shooting championships two times. Third place."

„All right." Stanton said admittedly impressed. Then he turned around and waved for him and Dean to follow. When they reached the corner again he pointed at a building along the street. It was opposite of the bank, right where their people sat between the aliens.

„I want to poste a few snipers around this area." Stanton explained. „You and Lieutenant Myers will do that. You enter over there. It should be possible for you to reach that building by climbing over the firestairs. Lieutenant Myers will help you with that." he assured Bobby, who had started to look slightly pale. He then faced Dean again. „As soon as you are up there, you´ll signal us. That window there. From up there you should have a good overview over both ends of the street."

„Okay." Dean said.

„When we´re ready, you´ll cover our backs."

„What will _you_ do?" Bobby asked him.

„We will move in directly." Stanton answered and looked around. With that he went back to the others, addressing mother Harriette again. „We´ll move in from two sides." he explained. „I and my men will attack them in the open field. You and your people stay behind and take care of the rest. Make sure we are not shot in the back by those things."

„Don´t worry." the big guy in the caro shirt said and padded his gun. „I go hunting in the woods with my pals every year. Whoever can hit a running dear can hit a freaking alien."

„I take your word for this, Mr. Benton." Stanton said unimpressed. „But make sure you don´t hit a running soldier in the process."

„God in heaven, no." Ralf cried honestly shocked about that idea. Stanton gave him a nod and went on.

„Dean. You and Bobby go now. You´ll need some time to reach the place."

Myers nodded, gave a salute and left with Bobby the book keeper at his heels. Stanton was just in the process of explaining mother Harriette and her people were to take positions and that he wanted some of them in the buildings as well, when Duggy, the boy, suddenly cried out: „Something!" He pointed to the end of the alley, wide eyed.

„Something." he repeated again. „Something."

The soldiers immediately grabbed their guns tighter and aimed at the dark end of the alley, even though they had no idea what they were aiming at. But Duggy was convinced he had seen something so they wouldn´t take the chance that an alien had sneaked into their backs.

„Stay behind me, Duggy." Dick said and took his younger brother´s hand.

The men and women stared into the darkness of the alley unable to see more than the shapes of the trashcans that stood there. Something slithered there in the darkness. They could hear the sounds now. Stanton looked around in haste. He still couldn´t see anything. The worst part was, that the sound seemed to come closer.

„Its moving." he whispered and his men skipped closer together, each of them aiming in another direction. The sound was very close to them now. Stanton could feel sweat running down his cheek.

„Hold your fire." he empathized reminding his men, that if they would shoot now they would give away their position.

„There!" Amy cried and pointed at something in a corner. But when they looked there was nothing.

„I saw it." she insisted. „It rushed by in that direction."

„All right." Stanton said. „Stay close."

Everybody searched the alley in the direction Amy had pointed out. Now Stanton could see something too. Again it was too fast and too dark to see what it had been. But it was there. At the end it was Susan who realized what was going on. She suddenly jumped forward and grabbed Stanton´s gun.

„No." she cried. „Don´t. Its all right."

„What are you doing?" Sergent Aprons hissed at her.

„Its B.O.B." she said and then stepped forward. „B.O.B." she called out. „Its all right, B.O.B. you can come out now."

„Bob?" Aprons asked obviously confused who she was talking about. But then a single eye appeared between two trashcans, looking out at them hesitantly. When Aprons saw it only a foot or so from his own face, he cried out and stumbled backwards. „For gods sake." he cursed when he realized what it was.

B.O.B. slipped out of his hiding place, first holding the extremely thin form he had had while squeezing himself through the trashcans and then widening himself into his usual form.

„B.O.B." Susan greeted him. „Why were you hiding from us?"

„I was unsure what to do." he said. „I thought, if you wouldn´t see me, I would just stay where I am. You know, as if I was never here."

„Why would you do that?" Susan asked confused.

„Because I told myself, I would do so." he said. „You know, because I don´t have a brain but it should be my decision. But without a brain how could I decide? So I thought, you must decide if you want to see me or not because without a brain I couldn´t …"

„Dear god, does anyone understand what he is talking about?" Aprons cried.

„Its all right, B.O.B." Susan tried to calm her friend down. It was obvious that he was very upset about something.

„How did you get away?" Stanton demanded to know.

„I slipped out." B.O.B. said.

„And they didn´t see you?" Stanton asked.

„Yes. But they didn´t stop me."

„All right. Good work." Stanton nodded. „Can you tell us how our men are? Bryce and the others?"

„Last time I saw them they were good." B.O.B. said.

„Was anyone hurt when the aliens moved into the bank?"

B.O.B. blinked confused. „The aliens didn´t go into the bank." he said. „We came out."

„What? Why?"

„Because they wanted it. They said they know Susan isn´t with us anymore and they would shoot if we wouldn´t come out."

„Dammit." Stanton cursed and exchanged a glance with Susan. „I guess it was just a matter of time until they would figure that out. At least they didn´t decide to kill them."

„No." B.O.B. cried, now very excited. „They planned to use them as horses to make you surrender."

„Horses?" Aprons repeated confused.

„Hostages." Stanton translated for B.O.B. „Yeah, that makes sense. It didn´t work with the monster and now they try again with our men."

Susan lowered her gaze. „Its all about me." she said. „It was always about me."

„But we won´t play this game." Stanton replied. „Now that we know what they plan, we can outplay them. Plus we have one more player now." he looked at B.O.B.

„I´m a bad player." B.O.B. argued.

„Don´t be so humble." Aprons replied. „We saw you fight. You destroyed that robot at the city limits. You´ll be a great reinforcement for us."

„Miss Murphy?" Stanton addressed Susan, when he noticed her contemplative face. She looked up at him and managed a tiny smile.

„I´m all right." she said.

„Sure?"

She nodded. „Yeah. Don´t worry. I´m still more than capable to take care of that alien robot."

Stanton nodded carefully, still examining her. „You won´t have to do it alone." he assured her.

„What do you mean? I …"

„I will go with you." he said matter of factly.

„That´s too dangerous." she argued. „You saw what happened last time. I might be forced to do the same thing again."

„Last time you surprised me with this action of yours." Stanton replied. „This time you´ll do what I say. And I say I´m going with you. I´m responsible for you, don´t forget that. I have to make sure that nothing goes wrong."

„You mean to make sure that someone is there to shoot me before I can get captured?" she asked confrontative, making B.O.B. open his eye wide in shock.

„I mean, making sure that someone is there to keep you from being captured in the first place." Stanton rephrased it without batting an eyelash.

Susan just smiled. „Still." she said. „I can´t allow it."

„Miss Murphy, I believe you don´t understand the meaning of chain of commands. I …"

„Its all right." B.O.B. suddenly chipped in raising a hand like a boy at school. „I´ll go with her." he offered. „I´m indestructible."

„I´m sorry but …" Stanton was about to say when Aprons spoke up.

„Maybe that´s not a bad idea, Josh." he said. „We´ll need every shooter when we move in and this … I mean he won´t shoot but I guess he is a pretty good shield to get her through."

„I´m sorry, isn´t there the rank Major written somewhere on my uniform?" Stanton asked. „Since when is everybody else making decisions?"

„He is right, Major." Susan empathized.

„That´s true." mother Harriette spoke up behind him. „You should listen to them, boyo. And do it quickly because we don´t have all day."

Stanton looked around. Everybody seemed to be convinced that this idea was the best for all of them. And though he still had a bad feeling about it, for what reason he didn´t know, he finally sighed and nodded his okay.

„Good." he said. „Your way. But if anything happens …"

„It won´t." Susan assured him. She looked at him with a strange gaze. A gaze he couldn´t quiet interpret.

„All right." he said at last. „Then let´s do this. We wait until Dean and Bobby are at their posts. Mother Harriette. Its time that you and your people take your positions as well. You should …"

„Don´t worry." she talked over him. „We know how to do this. Come on, kids. We´re going to take our positions now."

They passed him, following her like his men would follow him and he couldn´t help but smiled. This woman was tough. And even though she was over seventy, he felt strangely safe, knowing that she would secure his back. They watched them go and enter the building through a side door that was usually for the people who lived here to bring their garbage down.

„All right, guys." he said after they were gone. „Now we can only wait until everything is in place. Dan, keep an eye on the building on the other side. As soon as Dean sends the signal we know we have to get ready."

Aprons nodded and went to the end of the alley. Stanton felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, expecting to see either Ben or Lui, his two remaining officers. But instead it was Susan who stood in front of him. „I´d like to talk to you in private for a second." she said. „Before all of this starts."

...

Gallaxhessa had just switched off the channel over which she had gotten the message, what she had been waiting for. Everything was in place now. At least almost. Now the carrier would be in her hands soon. And that meant it was about time that she would get involved directly. It was time for her to go. Her clones had done as much as they could with her giving orders from the distance. But now there was something coming up, none of them would be able to do on her behalf. To extract the Quantonium she had to be there herself.

Thoughtfully she looked at the screen that showed her the area around her robot. The young frogs were still there, waiting patiently for a message of their mother. Link had told them to stay here. But he had also told them to stay with the huge robot. Something told Gallaxhessa that they would try to follow her, as soon as she set it in motion and walk away. But that was something she couldn´t allow. Where she would go, they couldn´t follow. So she opened another channel, even though she knew that he might not want to talk to her right now.

„Link." she called. „Link, this is Gallaxhessa. Come in, please."

It was her clone that answered the call.

„Link, please answer me." she said insisted. „I need your help."

Eventually he stepped into the frame of the screen so she could see him. She had been right. He didn´t look as if he was happy to see her.

„Link, I need to go to the city." she said.

„So what?" he asked. „I don´t need anything."

„You need to tell your friends to stay here, where they are, so they won´t follow my robot." she explained ignoring his cynicism. „Would you do that for me? For them? You know we can´t risk to let them come near the city."

Link sighed. „Okay, okay." he said. „Let me talk to them."

She pushed the buttons to let his picture show on the outside of her robot again. As soon as his projection was visible, the frogs reacted to it and came closer. The same way it had happened before. She watched while he told them, that they had to stay where they were. The robot had to go away for a while but he promised them, it would come back soon, so they could hear about their mother. He told them that he had talked to her and how happy she was that they were all right. She was gone looking for a friend for now but he expected her back soon. Next time he was sure they would be able to talk to her. But until then they would have to wait. The frogs croaked and even in Gallaxhessa´s ears, who didn´t understand their language, it sounded good.

„Thank you, Link." she said when he was ready.

„You are going to Washington now." he stated. It wasn´t a question.

„Yes." she said. „If everything goes well, it will be over very soon."

He didn´t give another response. He just sighed and nodded without looking at her. Then he switched off the channel. Gallaxhessa stood there in silence for a moment. She hoped he was just upset because of the bad talk he had had with his friend earlier. That it had nothing to do with her close victory over humans. But of course not. If he would regret that, he wouldn´t have helped her. Had he? It wasn´t that she couldn´t understand his feelings, the dilemma he must be in. But it didn´t matter anymore. They were so close to the end. There was no going back anymore. As soon as it was over he would see that it was the right decision.

Gallaxhessa was about to activate the walking function of her robot, when she remembered something. There was one more creature she had to tell her goodbye before she could go. So she took the elevator and went down. The crock-dog was already waiting for her, when she came out. As if he had guessed that she was coming down to say goodbye. She went to her knees and fondled him.

„I need to go away for a while." she told him. When he expectedly started to bark, she shook her head. „I can´t take you with me." she said. „You need to stay here with our new friends. Take care of them until I come back. Will you do that for me? Will you?"

The faithful creature looked at her with its yellow eyes. There was a mourning sound coming from deep in his throat. Gallaxhessa hugged the poor thing. She didn´t want to leave him behind either. But she couldn´t take him with her. She didn´t know what would happen, and she really didn´t want him to be cooped up in such a tight space the way her robot provided it. A crock-dog like him needed space to run. The way her ship had provided a huge playground for him. In her robot he would die on lack of movement. And she really wouldn´t want him to run around in a city where hostile humans were on the loose. They would shoot him if they had a chance.

She hugged him one last time and then stood up, determined not to look back again and lose even more time than she already had. But when she reached her elevator, she looked back anyway. The crock-dog sat on the ground looking at her pleading. But she had no choice. He had to stay and she had to go. So she closed the doors of the elevator and drove back up to the main control center of her robot. Back there she entered the datas the computer would need to set a course. A course that would bring her to the city the humans called Washington.

* * *

**Babababammmm. To be continued … Why did I never thought about writing this? Oh, whatever. See you next week. Maybe for the last time? Who knows. Come back and find out.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	46. Chapter 46 Comin All Together In The End

**Hello my friends. This week I don´t have to say very much. Only that we are getting closer to the end now. I think it was I´llBe who asked me not so long ago, how many more chapters I plan. Now soon you will see. We´re almost there.**

* * *

**Coming all together in the end**

Tucker was hiding inside of a small allay, not wider than his own shoulders and so full of garbage that he had to restrain the urge to gag at the smell in there. But he had no choice. The Boss had left him as the only one to hide in the bank after the aliens had figured out their trick and he had been forced to call out most of his backup team to convince them they had them all. Now he was the only one left and this alone was either a great honor or a bad curse. Bryce must have great faith in me, he though to himself. If I just had an idea what the hell I am supposte to do, all on my own.

Just a few minutes ago there had been a great addition to the aliens that had already been there. As if they had decided to gather together now that they had their robot parked here. Maybe they had. But that only meant more trouble. And less chances for them to get out of this mess without bruises. Or worse. What the hell was Bryce thinking? The street was crowded with aliens by now. Tucker could barely see the hostages anymore.

He sighed and moved backwards through this alley. He had to get out of here before he fainted from the smell. When he reached the other side he took a deep breath. Damn, how could beggars who actually used to sleep between this shit stand that?

He heard a sound and swirled around, his gun ready to fire. But then he saw that it was not an alien who had appeared at the corner. First he thought he had a hallucination, caused by that sickening smell he had been forced to breath for so long. But then he knew it wasn´t.

„Lisha." he cried in a whisper tone, while the four Marines and one girl hurried over to him. „Maaan, am Ay glaaad t´ see ya."

„Tuck." Alisha greeted him with wakeful eyes looking around. „What´s going on? Where are the others."

„Yo woun´t believit." he said. „The Boss an all the-others aah bee´ng held hostige in this ve´y street there." he pointed with his thumb at the building to his right to indicate the other side of it.

„How did this happen?" Ronny cried.

„Wha´doyou think?" Tucker cried back. „It was an aambush. Wee had t´ hayd in tha bank, whaail Josh an his pals went away, to gettin us help. They thought wee had Gainormica with us, that´s whay they didn attack. But samhow they figured out that she is not here. An now they have the Boss an all the-others. He managed to get me ouwt. But alown Ay couldn´t do nothin."

„You are not alone anymore." Cooper said confidently.

„As glaad as Ay´am to see ya." Tucker replied hesitantly. „But yuu havn´t seen those alien herd. Theere must be a neest somewhere."

„We know." Alisha said. „We followed them here."

Cooper had sneaked to the end of the street to have a look around the corner. He was holding his hand upwards while he did so. The others watched him, holding their breaths, until he stood up again and came back.

„He´s right." he affirmed and blew a toneless whistle. „Like an ant-farm."

„Dammit." Alisha cursed. Then she addressed Tucker again. „How long is it ago since Josh and his team went away to get you help?"

Tucker threw a look at his watch. „Maan, Ay down knoo." Two hoouws? Its daaamn hard to keep track of taym here."

„Tell me about it." Alisha agreed. „But that means he could be on his way back already. Maybe we are not as alone as we think."

„But how are we supposte to know?" Ronny asked. „Its not that we can just call and ask: Hey guys where are you now? Would be nice if you could drop by for dinner."

„Wha´doyou mean yo can´t call?" Tucker asked. „You hav´a radio there."

„The aliens can track those things." Drake explained. „We can´t use them."

„But maybe we can use them after all." Cooper mused. „Last time they needed some time before they tracked it. That would give us enough time to ask Major Stanton where he is and to coordinate some things. Then we would at least know where they are."

„And the aliens would know where _we_ are." Ronny said.

„Yeah, that is inevitable." Cooper admitted. „But we could take some advantage from that anyway."

„How?" Alisha wanted to know.

„We limit the talking time to a minimum and then we leave the walkie behind. Right here in the street." he looked around until he spotted a door in the building next to them. „We hide in there." he explained. „The aliens will send some of their clones to look for the radio. When they do we can take them out. Then we would have some clones less to worry about."

„But they would know that someone is here then." Alisha replied.

„An a few clones don make much diffrenz with all o´them." Tucker added.

„One snowflake doesn´t make a big difference either." Cooper replied. „But after a while the branch brakes under their weight anyway."

„Maan, whatis thaat s´poste to mean?" Tucker cried.

„Yeah, I don´t get that either." Ronny agreed much more calm but equally lost. „Its not even winter." he said.

„Seems like these pawns don´t understand your parables, Jesus." Alisha said with a smile.

Cooper chuckled too. „All I wanted to say is: If it doesn´t make any difference … what difference does it make?"

The Marines looked at him for a moment. Eventually Tucker shrugged: „Well. Ay guess Ay got thaat parable. Let´s do´it."

„All right, then." Alisha settled it. „Then let´s move. We´ve got some preparations to do."

...

On the other end of the street, where the aliens had gathered, Major Stanton and his few men that were not positioned already, were busy doing preparations too. In this moment he and Susan peeked around the corner again. There was still no signal from Dean and Bobby. But they expected it soon.

„All right." Stanton whispered. „I think its time that you and your friend go. I want you to round that building so you can approach the robot from behind."

„All right." she said.

He looked at her for a moment. „Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked.

Susan took her hand into her pocket and touched the little grenade Stanton had given her. „No." she answered his question. „I don´t want to. But I will. Believe me."

He gave her a nod. It was a sad gesture of respect. „Its the safest kind of explosive there is." he repeated once again what he had already told her. „It won´t explode except you want it to."

„I understand." she said and gave him a tiny smile. He didn´t smile back.

„I´m sorry." he said. „For everything. You are very brave."

„A very good friend of mine told me that we all are expendable." she said. „Its about earth. Not us."

Stanton sighed. „Let´s hope it doesn´t come that far." he said and she agreed. She didn´t want to die. But it was true. Her life was nothing against all the others that would have to suffer under the aliens occupation. She wouldn´t allow them to put her into the extraction chamber ever again. She´d rather blow herself up than to be the reason for the aliens to win.

They left the corner and went back into the alley. B.O.B. was already waiting for her at the other end.

„You two draw the attention of that robot at you." Stanton told them. „As soon as we see it moving, this is our signal to attack."

„Okay." Susan nodded.

„Good luck." Stanton said and then he raised his hand and saluted her. „I see you on the other side."

„Let´s hope so." she replied. Then she turned around and said: „Let´s go B.O.B."

...

„Dina, you have to give me that gun." Zach urged the clone that was once again the only one left to watch them. They had locked them in a chamber outside of the chapel´s interior, a room barely big enough to be a broom closet.

„Excuse me?" the clone replied at Zach´s request.

„We can´t wait any longer." Zach said. „We wasted enough time already."

„You wasted time. I have order to watch you. Not to arm you."

„But _I_ used to give you orders." Joon argued.

„That was as long as I was your hostage." Dina argued back. „Now you are mine."

„That is not fair." Joon pouted. „That was just an hour ago."

„I know." Dina replied stubbornly. „But I work for Gallaxhessa."

Zach rolled his eyes and decided to take advantage of the diversion Joon had caused with her arguments. He snatched the gun away from Dina before she had even a chance to know what happened.

„Hey!" the alien-girl cried.

„Now you are my hostage again." Zach said aiming the gun at her. „That means I can decide what we do next, according to your little game you played."

„That is no game." Dina pouted. „That is common sense all over the universe."

„Whatever." was all Zach said to that. „We will go out there now and you will help us."

He signalled Dina with the gun to lead the way and Joon to stay behind him. Dina threw him an insulted look but then opened the door as he demanded. When they returned to the chapel, she was the first thing the other aliens saw. Zach didn´t wait for them to see him too and realize what was going on. He started to shoot right away. It was probably the fastest take over in the history of military invasion ever. The only alien he spared was the one operating the controls of the Doc´s sickbed.

„Don´t you dare to move a tentacle." Zach warned it. It raised its hands in the international gesture of giving up.

„Man, that was satisfying." Zach exclaimed. Then he turned his head slightly aside and cried: „C.R. You okay?"

„According to the circumstances one might say so." Dr. Cockroach answered from his place on the altar.

„All right." Zach faced the alien again. „You will tell me now, how the hell this machine works. And don´t tell me that you cannot risk to touch it, because if you don´t, I will."

The alien cursed in silence and turned to the console.

„Slowly." Zach demanded. „Dina." The alien-girl hurried over to him and he ordered her: „If your sister here, does anything that looks like she´s calling for help, you tell me."

„All right." Dina said.

„Traitor." the other clone cried.

„Hey, what was I supposte to do?" Dina replied. „They took my gun."

„Stop that." Zach demanded. „You." he pointed at the clone. „I noticed that there is an energy-field around C.R. Take it down."

The clone raised its tentacle over the panel. „Dina, you watch." Zach repeated and she did.

The clone pushed some buttons and after another moment, the steady humming that had surrounded the altar, went down. Zach threw a short look at the Doc, without letting the alien out of his sight.

„C.R.?" he asked. „How do you feel, buddy?"

In the corner of his eye he could see, how the Doc started to sit up. He tried his hands and found them working. Slowly but working.

„I knew it." Zach said with a victorious grin. „I bet he was better a long time ago."

„He is not completely regenerated." the alien argued.

„He´ll be fine." Zach said.

The Doc had started to climb down from the altar now. His legs gave in and he had to hold onto it though.

„Joon, help him." Zach ordered and the young girl hurried to the Doc´s side to support him with her shoulder. „You lie down there now." Zach demanded from the alien.

„Keep dreaming." the alien snorted.

„Either that or I´ll shoot you." Zach replied nonchalant. „Your decision. I can´t afford watching you."

The clone thought it over and decided that it rather wanted to keep breathing for a while. So it went over to the altar and hoped on it. Zach waited until Joon had walked the Doc far away enough from the place and then reactivated the energy-field.

„What are we doing now?" Dr. C asked, when he and Joon reached the console.

„Now, my friend … we do what we initially came for." He started to study the console. „Dina. I want to talk to our men inside the building." he said.

The alien-girl stepped to the console and started to push some buttons. After a while there was a picture on the screen. It was the computer cabinet, where they had left the others behind.

„Incredible." Zach exhaled.

„You can talk to them if you want." Dina said.

Zach pushed the button and called in. „Sergent McNamara calls home base. Home base, please come in."

They could see Benny and the others flinch and hurry to their own computers.

„Over." Benny cried. „Over … I mean, over. This is home base."

„Calm down, Benny, everything is fine." Zach said still grinning widely. „We have infiltrated the main control room of the enemy." he reported. „I can see you right now. In fact …" he looked over his panel. „I can see everything."

„Is Joon with you?" Benny asked.

„She is."

„Hi, Benny." Joon called cheerfully and even waved at the screen. „I can see you on a big screen." she told him. „You are movie stars now."

The group of young and some old people started to laugh. „This is great." Benny cried. „Ehm, what now?"

„Now." Zach answered and took the seat that had been occupied by the alien before. „Now I will tell you, how we will proceed."

...

„That´s it. That´s it!" Link cried excited when he saw the cave. „That´s what she was talking about. You see? There she is."

He pointed at Toady´s head that was swimming into the cave now. She had returned to them a few minutes ago after she had swept a big part of the lake all on her own. What she had told them was either very good or very bad, but Link didn´t want to think about that so far. For him the only thing that mattered now, was to get to the place she had named as fast as possible. The alien had steered the robot along the shores, following Toady who was leading the way. Now that they had reached a cliff they could see her swimming into a big cave right beneath them. They both could see it very clearly. Yet Link was so excited that he couldn´t stop pointing at it.

„That is the cave." he cried again. „Can you see her?"

„Yes." the alien replied more annoyed about his behavoir than ever. „I can see it very good. In fact I saw it a minute before you started yelling at me."

„Can we go down there?" Link asked as if he hadn´t heard the clone´s complain.

„Yes." the clone sighed. „I guess we can, Captain."

For the first time since he had obtained this title, Link didn´t object. He had barely heard it. All he could see was the cave and Toady´s wake what marked the way she had taken in there. He wanted to be down there yesterday and even though the robot was climbing down the cliff rather quickly it felt like slow motion for him. At last the long legs of the machine dived into the water, sinking in almost until the water reached the head. Someone who would look at them from far away might have mistaken the robot with a strange boat now. The metallic egg moved over the surface while its legs walked the ground under water, sometimes stumbling over big rocks that lay there but somehow holding its course. The way they took into this amazingly big cave was not long but it started to get dark soon. The four red eyes of the robot illuminated the place so they could see. And then they reached the end of the cave … and they did see.

The red light gave the whole scenery a creepy tone but that didn´t matter for Link. All that mattered was the fact that he had finally found his friend and that Butterflyosaurus was obviously breathing even though his eyes were closed. He was lying on a dry place, that the water didn´t touch anymore. It looked like a small cove inside of this cave. Butter´s belly was wet, where the waves had touched him. The blood was partly washed off but he looked still awful. He must have struggled himself into here to be out of the sun, Link mused.

„Smart guy." Link said to himself. Then he turned to the alien. „What can we do? We must be able to do something for him. He´s still wounded."

„We have everything here we need." the clone told him in an almost bored tone. „But …"

„But?" Link repeated. „But what? I don´t wanna hear any buts."

„I´m just saying he doesn´t look good." the clone said trying to reason with him – or probably it thought it was reasoning. „Its probably no use anymore." it said.

„You will listen to me, you octopussi." Link now growled. „This is my friend out there and we won´t let him down now that we found him. You made fun of me by calling me captain all the time. Now captain Link gives you an order. Get out. And take care of my friend. Got this?"

The clone made a face as if to say: All right all right, I was just saying. But then it turned around and started to gather some equipment. Link turned back to the screen and pushed a button. By now he knew which one he needed to push to get his message out.

„Hey, buddy." he greeted, his voice echoing through the cave. „Don´t you worry, we got it under control. You just hang in there. Let us do the rest."

He didn´t got any response but for a moment it seemed to him as if Butter had taken a deeper breath when he had talked to him and that his eyelids had fluttered a little. Toady was sitting at the cove next to him like a watchdog. Now she turned to the robot, throwing Link a worried glance.

„That´s a good boy." he commented the small reaction of his friend. „Everything is gonna be fine. Just hang in there."

...

„Susan?" B.O.B. asked carefully, while the two of them were sneaking along the empty street that went parallel to the one where the hostages were. So far they hadn´t run into any patrolling aliens. Obviously they focused on the main street. Or it was just good timing on their part combined with a fair amount of luck. But of course they would keep up their guard until they were there. Everything depended on them. The whole plan to free their friends and comrades depended on them reaching the other side without being detected. That was the reason why Susan stopped at every corner and peeked around it before walking on.

„Yes, B.O.B.?" she said when she was sure the alley to her left was empty.

„What are we going to do now?" he asked, still following her.

„You heard what Stanton said." Susan replied a little startled about the question. They had talked about it just a few minutes ago. Not even B.O.B.´s memory could be that bad. „We are going to draw the robot´s attention to us, so it won´t watch the street with the hostages anymore. As soon as it turns its head away from them, the soldiers will move in."

„And then they are going to start shooting?" B.O.B. asked like a little boy that was worried he would have to see something ugly.

„Yeah." Susan confirmed. „That´s a part of it."

„But … they could get hurt." B.O.B. said now almost whining.

„They know that." Susan assured him, trying to focus on what was before them. Had she just heard a sound? But no. There was nothing.

„But … do they want that?" B.O.B. kept asking.

„What?" now she turned around to look at him. She was confused for a second. Then she shook her head. „Of course they don´t want to get hurt." she said. „But that´s the only way there is, to free the hostages. And to defeat the aliens."

B.O.B. lowered his eye in a sad way and she regretted that she had spoken so harsh. He was just afraid to lose more of his friends. Surely he had seen Link´s picture in the sky as well. And before him they had watched the Doc die in the exploding alien ship. It struck her in that moment that they were the last two survivors of their old team. The last two monsters. How was it possible that this fact had evaded her for so long? B.O.B. might not have a brain but he had feelings like everybody else. Losing friends in such a way was painful. Very painful.

Gently she padded his head. „I know its hard to be forced doing something like that." she said. „I wish there was another way too. But there is none."

He looked at her with his big and sad eye and she just couldn´t stand it any longer. So she turned around and went on. There was no time for a talk like this. Maybe, if they all would get out of this alive at the end, they could make good for it. But right now she had neither the time nor the heart for such a talk.

„I know another way." she heard B.O.B. saying behind her.

He had spoken quietly so she hadn´t fully understood all his words. But some part of her guessed that there was something on his mind that she should know about before they could go on. So she attempted to turn to him once more and if it was just to set him at rest and to make _him_ go on. She needed him to focus.

But before she could ask him what he had to say or to say anything at all for that matter, she heard him suck in a great deal of air and then she saw a wall of blue mass coming down on her. The next thing she knew was that she was surrounded by B.O.B. and that she could barely move. And not breath. Not at all.

Her eyes went wide in shock. What was happening here? Why was he doing this? Had he tried to hug her? She had seen him swallowing people accidentally that way. But why should he want to hug her now? She started to struggle to get out but it was no use. She tried to scream, to tell him to let her out before she suffocated inside of him. But her voice came out in such a muffled way that probably no one in the outside world could hear it. But B.O.B. B.O.B. had to hear her. Why didn´t he spit her out? He should have done it already. If it was just an accident, he should have … should have …

She began to feel dizzy. Her lungs fought for air, demanded air, not getting any. She couldn´t breath. Couldn´t … Her struggles decreased, got slower and slower. Her eyes fell shut. Still B.O.B. wouldn´t spit her out. The last thing she saw before she passed out was the face of an alien, distorted through B.O.B.´s blue slime. More were following this one. They were smiling.

The last thing she thought consciously was: Why?

* * *

**All right, I admit that was a little short but it was just to set things up for the great finally. So don´t miss next week. For the big Showdown. And by the way. If you wonder who is gonna win: So do I ;-) See ya then.**

**And thanks for reading.**


	47. Chapter 47 Fire Walk With Me

**Hello everybody and welcome for the last round. **

**Suewe: I have to admit when I read over the last chapter I had to think about it myself what I wanted Tucker to say :) This guy is hard to understand, isn´t he? :)) Glad you managed it.**

**Okay everybody. Hope you are ready. Here we go.**

* * *

**Fire walk with me**

Stanton flattened himself against the wall. He was looking out into the street, taking changes by looking at this huge bunch of aliens and the window he had pointed out for Dean and Bobby to take position at. Eventually he spotted a light that flashed out from there. It came up and vanished. Came up and vanished. Finally. Now they all were in place. Now the only thing left to wait for was the robot to start moving. According to the time that had passed since Susan and her blue friend had left them, they should be there soon.

„Get ready." he whispered to his comrades. „They are in position."

The Marines checked their weapons and prepared themselves. Stanton kept watching the robot. He could see its head over the roof of the last building. The alien machine was parked in the street behind this one, right around the corner. So far it was still overlooking the hostages. But if everything went the way they had planned it, it should turn its attention to something more interesting quiet soon. Stanton was tensed. He expected it to happen every second.

And then something did happen. But it was not the robot that came to life. It was his walkie talkie and when the crackling sound came up so suddenly and unexpected, the Major almost jumped out of his boots.

„For gods sake." he cursed and tried to switch it off. But then he heard the voice that came out of the device and stopped his action. It was Tucker he heard there.

„Josh." his friend said. „Josh, thiis is Tucker. Coome in please. Ouwer."

„Tuck. Tuck. Tuck." Stanton cried excited into the walkie. „This is Josh. Over. Where are you? We thought they got you all."

„Not mi, maan." was Tucker´s answer. „But waita second. How do you know?"

„We can see them." Stanton told him. „We´re ready to move in to get them out."

There was a short moment of silence and then Tucker cheered. „I knui it! Thaat´s my maan."

And a second later someone else took over.

„Major. This is Lieutenant Simmons. We are on the east side of the street. We don´t have much time. What is your plan?"

„Ginormica is on her way to you." Stanton reported. „She´ll draw the attention of the robot away from the street. We´ll move in as soon as this happens. We have snipers and backup along the street. Would be great if you´d do the same for us from the other side."

„Copy that." Alisha replied. „We need to finish now. The aliens can track the walkies. You should destroy yours to avoid detection. Simmons out."

Stanton heard the last crackling sound and then the walkie was silent. He looked down on it for a second, barely able to believe what just happened. There seemed to be some luck left on their sides after all. He looked at his men and he could tell that they were thinking the same. Then he switched off the walkie and smashed it to the ground where it shattered into a dozen pieces. That was the moment when he first noticed the vibrations that came from the ground in steady intervals.

...

On the other side Alisha had just lay down her own radio, but intentionally without damaging it. She signalled Drake, who was watching the end of the street, to move. Cooper who had watched the other side and who was the one who had given them the signal that the aliens were on the way, was already coming. Alisha and Tucker hurried to the door, behind which Andy and Jessy were already hiding.

„Wow." Tucker cried just before they were there. „Did-ya just feel thaat?"

Alisha had no time to think about what he meant and entered the building. Tucker and the others followed behind her and a moment later they joined Ronny and Jessy who ducked behind the windows. The four Marines prepared their weapons to aim at the aliens that were about to come very soon. In this moment Alisha felt something beneath her feet and for a second she thought that an earthquake was coming.

„What was that?" she asked.

„Didn´t Ay tellya?" Tucker cried and turned to the others. „You felt it too."

Another vibration.

„Yeah, I did." Ronny affirmed.

And another vibration.

„What is that?" Cooper asked.

Vibration.

„Its coming." These words were silent but they were only more effective that way. And they had come from Jessy.

For a moment the five Marines were silent like a group of spooked kids around a camp fire. Then Ronny pointed out of the window and whispered: „The aliens."

The Marines forgot all about the vibrations and focused on the street before the window, where they could see a group of aliens approach. Until they felt the next shake. And the next. And the next. And the next.

„This is like in Jurassic Park." Ronny hissed uncomfortable.

„What do they carry there?" Cooper asked, trying to see the aliens on the street better. They were moving through the street in a steady speed, carrying something in their middle. The aliens also didn´t seem to be irritated by the constant reoccurring vibrations of the ground.

„I don´t think, they are looking for our radio." Drake pointed out.

„Oh, my god." Alisha exhaled when she realized what the aliens were carrying. „That´s Susan. That is Ginormica. They have her."

She was about to stand up, when the worst vibration so far shook the ground. Above them the boards cracked and some plaster fell from the ceiling.

„Look." Ronny cried and pointed outside to the far end of the street. They could see something that had arrived there but they had to duck down deeper in order to look up to its top. It was a robot but it was bigger than the ones they had seen so far. It looked as if it was a construct made from many robots.

„Oh, shit." Ronny exclaimed. „Ramrod´s here."

The aliens that were carrying Susan were heading for that robot now.

„They must not reach it." Alisha cried and ran out. „They must not get her." With that she was out of the door. Tucker was right behind her and after him Drake and Cooper. Ronny was the last one who went out. He hesitated because of Jessy but at last he went.

„You stay here." he told the girl and then hurried out. The fact that he was the last that left the building made him the first who saw that the robot that had been there all along, had moved its head to face the robot that had just arrived.

...

„That´s it." Stanton said when he saw the robot´s movement. „That´s our cue. Let´s move in."

That order given, he and his men left the allay and quickly approached the bunch of aliens that had the hostages jammed together in their middle. They didn´t wait for the aliens to notice their presence but started shooting right away. As soon as the first clones were down the hostages threw themselves to the ground all of them knowing very well how to react in a situation like that. The aliens swirled around and after a short moment of confusion, they started to shoot back.

Stanton and his men took cover behind some cars to avoid being roasted by those laser canons. One of them hit the car Stanton had dived behind and sliced it in two halfs before he even had a chance to duck down and shoot himself. He cursed and ran further to the next car, alien lasers missing him only about a few inches each time. The aliens that tried to shoot him suddenly got hit by shots that came from above. When Stanton had reached his cover he threw a look upwards and spotted Dean and Bobby at the window where he had sent them. A second later he went on shooting himself.

On the other side of the street his men had taken cover behind cars too. They were, like him, shooting aliens while being supported by their „snipers" around.

Slowly the aliens seemed to realize that there must be some hidden humans in the buildings. Stanton could see them look around in order to spot these invisible attackers. One of them seemed to have spotted Dean and Bobby. It aimed its gun at them and the two men, busy with so many other aliens, had not seen them. Their luck that Stanton had. He swirled his gun around and shot the aliens that were about to literally burn out their nest. It was their luck but his bad luck, because focussing on these aliens had drawn his attention away from what was behind him. By trying to shoot at their attackers, one of the alien canons had felled one of the trees that were growing along the street and this very tree was coming down on Stanton now.

„Jooosh!" he could hear one of his men yell and then he saw the tree coming.

He immediately tried to run but the car that had served him as cover was now blocking his way and he could do nothing but cower before it, facing that closing in tree. The trunk hit the car. Metal shrieked. Glass exploded. Some of the aliens on the street were surprised by the tree as well and got buried under its crone. Major Stanton was still cowering before the car, right in the small (very small) space between the tree and the pavement. When he realized that he was still alive, he shook himself into motion again. Damn, what the hell was that?

...

In another street Alisha and her team were shooting at alien-clones too. She had hit one of them right away but the others were much faster in shooting back than she had expected. She managed it to take cover behind a car just in time before the laser could vaporize her. Tucker and the others kept shooting at them and soon they were covering behind some cars too, engaged in a gunfight.

The aliens that had carried Susan, had split up. Two of them kept carrying her to the robot while the others took care of the attacking humans. Alisha saw that her team was busy with the shootout. But she herself hiding behind the cars on the other side of the street, seemed to be unnoticed by the aliens. She took that opportunity and sneaked passed the shooting aliens and closer to the two that were still carrying Susan. She had to be quick. They were almost at the robot. When they had reached it, she broke out of her hiding and started to shoot, knowing that she couldn´t afford to wait any longer. She hit one of the aliens. But then a laser that came from behind her, hit her at the leg and she fell to the ground. She was only a few feet away from Susan and that alien.

A light came on above them, coming from an opening at the belly of the gigantic robot. When Alisha realized that it was taking Susan, she shot the alien that was still holding her and hurried to get over to her. Considering that she was half crawling over the street, she was at the place very fast. But it was too late anyway. Susan had already been raised into the air by that strange blue light and her unconscious body was now floating up to that robot. Alisha let out a cry of frustration and after a moment of hesitation, she raised her gun and fired at Susan. She had wanted to safe her but if it was necessary to kill her so earth could survive, Alisha knew where her duty lay.

Her bullets bounced off the forcefield though and every effort she had tried to take was useless. Again she cried out and pulled the trigger. The result was the same. Susan was still floating higher and higher. There was nothing that could stop it now. Next to Alisha there was a sound of a gun that was cocked. But not a human gun. She turned around and faced the alien that she had thought she had shot. It was bleeding at its shoulder but the other arm was still all right. And with that it was holding its gun at her now. She threw a last look upwards and saw Susan vanishing inside the robot.

„Look out!" someone yelled, maybe Ronny but she wasn´t sure.

„What the …" undoubtedly Tucker yelled after that and then there was an explosion.

Alisha and the alien looked around at this. A second later Alisha took advantage of that distraction and poked her gun into the belly of the alien. She pulled the trigger and the clone flew backwards, this time really dead. When she turned her attention back to the source of the scream, she had to learn that the car, behind which her team had taken cover, had been blown up. It was lying on its roof now, burning. For a moment Alisha thought her team had to be dead but then she spotted them a few feet down the street, looking back at that burning car as startled as she was. The aliens were not less surprised, what eliminated the guess that they had blown up the car, that was now flaming like a torch.

It was unbelievable but even Alisha could feel the heat of that fire and she was the farthest away. She needed ten more seconds to realize what this reminded her of. A fireball came from out of nowhere as it seemed and a second car went up, flipping around like a toy. The aliens flinched and so did the humans. Alisha shielded her eyes with her hand from that light, to see what was going on. She was still lying on the ground. She still had her gun but if it truly was the firebug they had been hunting so long, she wouldn´t be able to do anything what the others (or the aliens for that matter) couldn´t do as well.

A figure stepped out on the street now, walking right through the two burning cars as if it was a gate. It was a slim figure and it had long blond hair that was flying in the hot wind that blew all around her now. The aliens aimed at her and shot their lasers. Jessy just stared at them with something in her eyes that could only be described as cold anger. The lasers stopped just a few inches before her as if they had hit an energy field. A second later the lasers turned around and shot back at the aliens. The three clones went up in blazing fire.

Alisha couldn´t believe what she saw there. Behind Jessy there were angry screams and then more lasers were shot at her. Again they only hit that invisible but impossible to ignore energy field around her. Jessy turned around and Alisha could feel that the heat that was blowing through this street, was increasing even more.

...

Up in the robot Gallaxhessa had just picked up the still unconscious Susan. She was about to carry her to the extraction chamber when the screen behind her jumped to life with a very excited and usually very welcome Link in the line. Usually. But right now, not so much. Gallaxhessa flinched and almost dropped Susan, when he suddenly cried out.

„Xhessa, we found him! We found Butter. He´s all right. Or at least he will be all right. I …" In this moment he saw what Gallaxhessa was doing and stopped.

„This is wonderful, Link." Gallaxhessa managed to reply to his message. „But right now I´m a little busy."

„What … What are you going to do with her?" he asked.

Gallaxhessa sighed. The Susan in her arms started to get heavy. „I told you. I´ll put her in the extraction chamber to extract the Quantonium from her."

„It … It won´t hurt her, will it?" he asked.

Gallaxhessa sighed again and lay the heavy human down for a moment. „Link." she said and turned around. „I told you, I wouldn´t hurt her, didn´t I?"

„I know, its just …"

„You see." Gallaxhessa talked over him. „I assure you, your friend will be all right. But I need to hurry now or I won´t be able to …"

„Link?" Susan´s mumbling voice came from behind her. Gallaxhessa swirled around and saw Susan half awake, staring at the screen with confused eyes. Before she could regain her coordination, Gallaxhessa opened a drawer under her console and took a shot out, to inject Susan with it. She hurried to her but Susan was already too much awake to let it happen without a fight. Instead of injecting it into her neck, Gallaxhessa slipped and in the struggle she hit Susan´s leg. It had not the effect she had hoped for, to sending Susan back to sleep, but at least her leg gave in and she stumbled. Gallaxhessa tried to bring her to the ground again but Susan was grabbing her hands, fighting her. With a quick movement she threw Gallaxhessa aside, into her machines.

„No, Susan." Link cried. „Don´t hurt her."

Susan turned to the screen, completely taken aback by that cry. Not only had she just learned that her friend Link was still alive but he was also speaking up for her enemy. She was about to open her mouth and ask him what that was supposte to mean, when a laser hit her at the shoulder.

„NO!" Link cried, this time to stop Gallaxhessa.

Susan was crouching on the floor holding her burning shoulder. Gallaxhessa was holding a little hand laser gun. It was pure anger in her eyes when she came back to stand over Susan.

„I can extract the Quantonium with you cooperating, sleeping or in great pain." she said. „You choose."

„Xhessa stop." Link cried.

„Link, stay out of this." Gallaxhessa demanded over her shoulder. Susan looked up at her with not less anger in her eyes than Gallaxhessa felt herself. It was pretty obvious which option she would choose even with one disabled shoulder and one disabled leg. She would never come freely and she would sure not let Gallaxhessa come close to her with another injection to put her back to sleep. So there was only one option left and Gallaxhessa was only too ready to do her that favour.

„Then it is your decision." she said and was about to pull the trigger.

„Xhessa, stop." Link cried. „Don´t do this. Stop." She hesitated, hating herself that she allowed him to distract her. Her hand was still tensed around the gun and ready to shoot. „You said you were not like your husband." Link reminded her. „Then prove it. Gallaxhar might have done that. Not you." Her eyes jumped from one side to the other without her wanting it. She was still aiming at Susan. There was no other way. She just had to do this. „You promised me you wouldn´t hurt her." _But she doesn´t leave me a choice._ „You said you don´t want to hurt." _Why doesn´t he stop talking?_ „Prove me that you told the truth." _I … I don´t know how._

An unexpected and sudden, yeah almost hysterical beeping interrupted them and made them all flinch.

„Gallaxhessa." the voice of a clone cried over intercom. „Gallaxhessa, we are under attack. Gallaxhessa. We are under …" and then something happened and the voice went down in a cacophony of static.

Gallaxhessa reached out a hand and switched on a second screen. She could see the city now that was around her. But what she saw there was not what she had expected. Fire. The streets were on fire.

...

When Monger saw the first flames, he initially thought one of the aliens lasers had set something on fire. The way this one laser had fell the tree that had smashed the car earlier. But then he realized it was not a tree that was burning but some aliens. They came running from another street, burning like living torchs, screaming all the way. Other aliens spun around to them uncertain what to do about that. The burning clones kept running for another ten seconds and then broke down. What had happened?

Some of the aliens hurried into the direction where the burned aliens had come from to find out what had set them on fire. They had just reached the corner when they went up themselves. But how? There was no outside force that could have caused them to suddenly burn. They just went up on their own.

„What the hell is going on?" Bryce asked bewildered over what they had seen.

Monger shook his head and wanted to say that he had no idea, but these words never came out. He had spotted something that just took his breath away. A girl. A young girl with blond curls just came in sight. She was walking up against the aliens that were now approaching her, lasers ready to fire. Their guns exploded in their hands before they even had a chance to pull the trigger. Monger and Bryce and everybody who had noticed what had happened, flinched when the guns went off.

„Did _she_ do this?" Bryce asked.

Monger was again unable to give a response. He could only stare at what this young girl was doing. He could see her face and that expression of pure anger. She was breathing heavily like someone who had just decided not to contain it any longer. The only question was, what she didn´t try to contain any longer. After working and living with monsters and mutations for so long (and being one himself) he recognized a supernaturally gifted person when he saw one. Pyrokinesis. He believed that was the word scientists used to describe what she had.

Something shot away from her. An almost invisible force that Monger rather felt than saw. This thing, that could be called a wave of pure heat, rushed through the air and blew away a whole line of aliens who had gathered to formate an attack against this girl. The moment when they were hit by that wave, the heat transformed to a wave of fire, that rolled over the aliens and threw them up and in all directions. Burning things that had no longer any resemblance with aliens.

A vibration went through the ground and soon after that another one. Something was groaning very loud and when they were looking up, they could see the robot that had been parked at the end of the street all along. It was approaching the girl. Its head bowed down as if it was looking at her and its four eyes started to glow in deep red. It was about to fire.

The girl had turned to the robot and was now looking up at it with the same kind of expression she had had when she had burned the aliens. The robot was still collecting its energy for the shot. She was collecting her own energy in return. Her hair was flying up in hot waves and her breathing became faster for a moment. The second the robot was ready to shoot, its head went off in a huge explosion, sending the same seemingly fluid fire into the sky that Monger had already seen consuming the aliens in the street before him. Burning fragments came flying down and Monger threw himself to the ground and ducked his head down. It was all they could do. The robot, now without its head, stumbled and crashed into the side of the building. More fragments were raining down into the streets but this time they were raining down on the girl. But instead of burying her, they were thrown away by the same force of heat that had dismantled the robot. She barely seemed to notice. Her focus was already back at the street before her.

Again there were aliens coming at her. And again she just looked at them with this forceful expression of determined anger. A wall of fire threw the aliens away like paper dolls and after she was done with them she immediately turned her attention to the sides of the street. Now she didn´t just look angry any more. Now she looked like someone that was in a flash. And who knows. Maybe she was. Monger had just enough time to wonder if she could even make a difference between aliens and humans any longer. Then the trees along the street went up in flames.

...

„What is that?" Gallaxhessa demanded to know. „Some kind of secret weapon?"

Susan, who had managed it to get up into a half standing half leaning on the console position, couldn´t take her eyes off the screen.

„I asked you something." Gallaxhessa repeated now threatening Susan with her gun again. „Who is that girl?"

„I don´t know what´s going on." Susan said angry but not really impressed by the gun.

„She is burning down everything." Gallaxhessa cried.

In this moment, a line of fire waves shot up along the street and then they saw that the trees were burning.

„No." Susan cried, recalling everybody who was in that street right now.

„I´ll shoot her down." Gallaxhessa decided and was already reaching out her hand to activate the laser beam of her robot. Susan grabbed her hand to stop her.

„If you do that she´ll blow us up like she blew up this other robot of yours."

„What do you suggest I shell do?" Gallaxhessa snapped. „She is going to burn down the whole city."

Susan looked at the screen again. But this time something other than the fire and the girl, caught her attention. It was a movement in the corner of the screen. When she looked closer, she saw it was a group of soldiers who tried to open a hydrant. They tried to lever it open, they hit it with their guns they even shot at it. With no result.

„Water." Susan said. „We need water. To put out the fire."

Gallaxhessa followed her eyes and spotted the hydrant too. „I´ll shoot that thing open." she said but was once again stopped by Susan.

„You must not use that laser. Didn´t you see what happened?"

„Then what?"

„I can open that hydrant." Susan told her. „Let me out and I will crack it."

„Yeah, sure." Gallaxhessa snorted. „I´ll just let you out."

„You have no choice." Susan empathized. „Or do you want to just watch how she burns everything down right in front of your eyes? And when she is done down there she will remember this robot. You just don´t. Have. A choice."

„She´s right, Xhessa." Link said. „Let her out. There´s no other way."

On the screen they could see him and behind him Butterflyosaurus and Toady who were watching what was going on as tensed as he was. Gallaxhessa looked at him and then at Susan. When there was anything she hated then when she was cornered and didn´t know any way out but to give in. Eventually she reached into the drawer beneath her console again and produced another shot. Susan skipped back when she saw that.

„You will need this." Gallaxhessa told her. „It´ll regenerate the mobility of your leg. And you better hurry."

...

„We need to get those people outtahere!" Stanton yelled. All around him windows were starting to explode under the heat that had build up in the street. He noticed with horror that there was fire even inside of those buildings. From somewhere he could hear a female voice crying out.

„Jump, kiddo." another voice, that he recognized immediately, demanded.

„No. Its too high." the other one replied.

„No choice."

„I can´t."

Stanton looked up and saw mother Harriette and Amy at one of the windows in the second floor. On other windows he spotted several other members of their group. He had ordered them to take position up there and now they were trapped. And then for some reason Stanton didn´t know and also didn´t care to know, B.O.B. appeared at a corner, looking around with a wide eye.

„.B.!" Stanton yelled and waved for the blue monster. „Over there B.O.B. Over there."

He pointed at mother Harriette and Amy and the brainless blob seemed to understand. He hurried to get under the window of the two women and Stanton was released (at least for the moment) that he would take care of these civilians.

„You can jump now." B.O.B. called up to them.

Amy was still hesitant but now that she knew that there was something to catch her granddaughter, mother Harriette just shoved her out of the window. Amy shrieked and then she was inside of B.O.B. He immediately spat her out, just a second before mother Harriette jumped into him. After she was out too, she took over Stanton´s part, and ordered B.O.B. to do the same thing for the others who were trapped in the building and had no other escape but to jump out. B.O.B. saluted her as if she was military and hurried to do what she had said. Inside the buildings it was getting hotter and hotter by now.

...

When Susan stepped out of the elevator, one of the soldiers was just supporting Alisha Simmons so she could walk away from that robot. When she called her name the two of them turned around to her and at least Alisha had an expression of indignation and shock on her face.

„Are you all right?" Susan asked when she saw Alisha´s leg.

For at least a moment Alisha just stared at her in disbelieve. Then she said: „I could ask you that."

„How did you come out?" the man that supported her asked Susan.

„No time to explain." Susan said. „We need to hurry." And with that she was on her way to the other men who were still busy with the hydrant. „Step back." she cried and the startled soldiers hurried out of her way. With one quick grip the hydrant was open and the water shot in the air in a high spout.

For a moment the girl that still stood at the crossway between the two streets seemed to flinch. She turned her head around and fixed the spout with her eyes. The water immediately started to boil and the spout became a geyser of hot steam. Susan and the soldiers got thrown backwards by the blast this hot steam produced. When they looked again, the street was hidden behind hot fog and the girl was focused on the other street again. The water from the hydrant seemed to be dried out. Just a few remains still sloshed out of the hose. Not enough to put out that fire.

„It didn´t work." one of the men cried in disbelieve.

„Too less water." another one guessed and struggled back to his feet.

„We´ve got to stop her." Susan said and clenched her fists.

„Its not her fault." Alisha told her. She was still supported by her comrade. „She doesn´t want that." she explained. „Its something inside of her. I … I don´t think that she can control it. She´s afraid of it more than we are."

„She doesn´t look as if she´s afraid." Susan argued and the expression of joy that was now in the girl´s face underlined that statement.

Alisha just shook her head in denial and uncertainty. „I … If I just could talk to her." she said. „Maybe I could wake her up. I managed that once already."  
Susan hesitated. „What is her name?" she asked when she realized that they must know the girl for a while.

„Jessy." Alisha told her.

„All right." Susan said at last. „I´ll help you to get close to her."

„Let me go, Cooper." Alisha said and her comrade helped her to sling her arm away from his and around Susan´s shoulder.

„But if it doesn´t work …" Susan said.

„If it doesn´t work you won´t be able to do anything at all." Alisha interrupted her. „Believe me. We´ve seen what she can do. And I believe its just the tip of the iceberg."

...

„Attention, Benny. Contact with the enemy at two o´clock. Behind you! behind you!"

Zach clung to the console in front of him while the sound of rattling gunfire filled the soundboxes of the computer. On the screen they could see some shots and laserfire but then it was over. Another moment of tension and then Benny reported that they were save. Zach exhaled in relieve and next to him Joon and Dina cheered and even high fifed each other.

„The west wing is save now." Benny reported. „Chris and the others are securing the gates. We´ve got it."

„Good work." Zach cried. „Group two reported the same about the east wing. Just a few more and we have them."

„Are you all right, Benny?" Joon asked eagerly.

„I´m fine, sis." her brother answered and looked into the camera with a wide smile. „Don´t worry, we can handle this. I´m back with you soon."

Joon jumped a few times in her excitement and this time Zach almost felt as if he could do the same. Almost. He threw a look over his shoulder to see what the Doc was doing and was confused when he found him bowed over the other panel, obviously working in high concentration.

„What are you doing, C.R.?" he asked. The Doc just shook his head in a gesture that spoke loud and clearly: Not now.

Zach frowned and threw one last look at his own screen. „Benny, are you getting along on your own?" he asked.

„Sure." the boy answered.

„Dina." Zach said. „You take over my watch. If any of the other groups needs help …"

„I know. I saw how you did it." the clone said and took her place behind the screen.

„Joon, you watch her." Zach ordered.

„As always." Joon replied still far too happy.

Zach dismissed it and went over to see what the Doc was doing. „What are you playing with over there?" he asked but in this moment he could already hear another voice coming from the computer. He had heard that voice before.

„_You did the right thing, Xhessa."_ this voice said.

„_Its not over yet."_ another voice, also very familiar, replied.

„I found an open channel." the Doc whispered, still listening closely so he wouldn´t miss a thing.

„_Are you sure?"_ Link asked now. _„Look around. Things didn´t quiet go the way you planned it."_

„_It doesn´t matter."_ Gallaxhessa replied. _„I never said it would be easy."_

„_Not so easy is a slight understatement." _Link said._ „Maybe you should consider to stop before its too late. Susan was right, this girl could blow up your robot within a second and then you´d be dead."_

„Susan." Dr. C gasped and leaned forward. He started to type at the console.

„_How can you say that?"_ Gallaxhessa cried now. _„That was our dream."_

„_No, Xhessa."_ Link replied. _„It was your dream."_

„What are you doing?" Zach asked.

„I try to bring it on screen." Dr. C said and a moment later Link´s and Gallaxhessa´s conversation was visible on the big screen that was hanging from the ceiling.

„I admit that you were right about a lot of things." Link just said. „And I still agree that there are many things on this planet that I don´t like. I still don´t like what the humans did to me and me pals. But that is the course of this world and maybe … maybe there is a bigger plan behind all this. I don´t know. Maybe its just not meant to be."

„What are you talking about?" Gallaxhessa snapped. „Religion?"

„I … To be honest, I have no idea what I´m talking about. I don´t know nothing about religion, spirituality or the future. Especially not the future. But I know what I see now in the present and that is not what I consider a good thing. Look around, Xhessa. Its over. I was beaten up by humans, they were beaten up by your clones and your clones were beaten up by us monsters. Where is the end in all that? Can you tell me where this is supposte to lead us?"

„I want a future for my kind." she cried. „Is that so wrong?"

„Why do you think this is the only way for your kind to have a future?" he asked. „Maybe fate holds something for them even if this here doesn´t work out. Maybe you should just trust in that fate."

„Fate destroyed my planet." she said bitterly.

„And your ship." he replied. „And most of your robots. And look what is going on out there right in this moment. Do you really think staying on course is the right thing? Maybe its time to reconsider a few things."

In the chapel Dr. Cockroach and Zach exchanged a contemplative glance. This talk was not what they had expected to hear.

„Reconsider." Gallaxhessa repeated sarcastically. „Reconsider this. You ask me to stop. Means to surrender. What do you think will happen to me, when I lay my fate into the hands of humans? You

considered that too?"

„I don´t know what will happen." Link admitted. „But I know it can´t go on like this. The city is burning."

„What?" Zach and the Doc cried unisono and immediately the Doc was typing again to get a picture from the outside of Gallaxhessa´s robot. He found it and lay it on the screen next to Gallaxhessa and Link. In the same moment a very contemplative Gallaxhessa turned her head and looked at something ahead of her as if she was reacting to the new picture Zach and the Doc could see now. A picture that showed truly a burning city.

„Oh, my god." Zach exhaled in shock.

A second later the Doc pointed at something on the screen. „There´s Susan." he cried.

...

The two women were approaching the blonde girl from behind. Jessy was still focused on the street before her. By now there was fire coming from the windows in every building. People and aliens were screaming and yelling in the street and hopefully behind that fire. Jessy´s shoulders were raising up and down along with her breathing. It was so hot that Susan´s and Alisha´s hair started to smother at the ends. Breathing was almost impossible now. Nothing of this seemed to effect Jessy though. She was producing more and more spots of fire with every gaze she threw somewhere. Windows exploded under the heat and flames shot out of them. Even the robot that had crashed into the building earlier started to deform itself under that heat. Still Susan fought to get herself and Alisha closer to the girl.

„Jessy!" Alisha cried. Her voice seemed lost between all the roaring flames all around them. „Jessy!"

„She can´t hear you." Susan cried.

„She has to. Jessy!" Alisha yelled even louder. They were right behind her now, only ten feet were between them and her. To go closer was impossible. The heat was getting too strong now. „JESSY! Jessy you´ve got to stop!" The girls head flinched subtly. „Jessy can you hear me?" Alisha yelled with new hope. „You´ve got to stop it, Jessy!"

„I can´t." Jessy answered without turning around. „Please, go away."

„I won´t go away. There is no where to go."

Jessy´s shoulders started to shiver faster now. It was not necessary to see her face to know that she was crying. „I can´t stop it." she cried. „It wants to get away from me. Its getting stronger than me. I´m sorry."

„Jessy, turn around and look at me." Alisha said.

„NO!" the girl cried with panic. „I´d burn you."

„You won´t burn me." Alisha replied with a certainty that made Susan feel uncomfortable. „I know you won´t. You can control it. I saw you do it."

„Its getting stronger." Jessy replied.

„But not stronger than you. You can do it, Jessy. You just have to try. Try it. Stop it."

„I didn´t mean it." Jessy sobbed now.

„I know."

„Jessy, we are here with you." Susan chipped in now. „We´ll help you. But you have to help us. Put out that fire."

„I can´t."

„YES YOU CAN!" the two women cried unisono.

„You did it before." Alisha yelled. „Now do it again. You can do it, Jessy."

„Back off." Jessy cried between her tears. „Please, back off. Back off."

„I won´t go away." Alisha repeated but Susan shook her head.

„She´s not talking to us."

Alisha stared at the girl before her and realized that she was right. Jessy was more tensed than ever and every time she said it, her body was vibrating, as if it was the hardest thing in the whole universe, just to say those two words. „Back off! Back off! BACK OFF!"

Suddenly the ground started to quake and the two women almost lost their balance. Jessy was still crying her mantra over and over again and it seemed the quake increased with each time she said it.

A very hard shake finally threw Susan and Alisha to the ground right in the moment when Jessy turned around to them. She didn´t look at them though. Her eyes were fixed on the ground. Just a moment later the concrete of the street before them cracked open. The crack ran from one end to the street to the other as it seemed, as if some higher force had wanted to split it alongside. Another deep cracking sound followed the ripping sound that had accompanied the appearing of that abyss, and then there was a wall of water shooting out of this crack, over the whole course of it. Jessy´s shape vanished behind that wall of water and for a moment Susan and Alisha were blind with it. Only a few seconds later this water started to boil but this time it didn´t vanish as fast as it had at the hydrant earlier. This time the water kept coming, no matter how fast it was boiled.

„She must have cracked the water hoses of the city." Alisha cried over the fizzing sounds of the boiling water.

Susan wanted to agree but the hot steam had started to get too thick by now. Breathing had been hard before but it was even worse now. Before it had felt as if her throat was burning with each breath, now it felt as if she was drowning. They couldn´t do anything but duck down and wait and hope that they would stand it long enough to see the end of it.

Eventually it started to decrease. The boiling of the water became slower and slower and at last even the water stopped shooting up in that hysterical line, Jessy had produced in her desperate need for cooling. When it was gone, Susan and Alisha finally dared to raise their heads again and look around. The street was almost invisible behind all that steam but it seemed to settle down pretty fast though. Like very thin rain. On the other side of the street the slim figure was still standing where it had been before. But now Jessy was swaying. Alisha tried to stand up but the heat was still too much for her. Her legs and arms felt as if they were of rubber.

Susan felt not much better but at least she managed it to stand up. The girl was on the other side of that abyss she had produced with her strange powers. Her face was tired and empty. Her hair was hanging down in wet strands. And she was crying. Her blue eyes were on Susan but she was not really looking at her.

„For you, daddy." she sobbed with a choked voice. Her face looked more like a little girl than ever. And then her legs gave in and she fainted right where she stood.

...

A few hundred feet behind them the five men of Alisha´s team exhaled in relieve when they realised that the fire wouldn´t get any hotter. It was still burning on some parts but at least its source was put out. Ronny lay on the ground. He had lost consciousness when the heat had gotten too much. Drake knelt beside him and tried to bring him back around. Cooper wiped his face but it didn´t help very much. The layer of sweat he wiped off was immediately replaced by a new one. Next to him Tucker looked as if he was close to faint too. The big black Marine took his water bottle and drank what was left from the liquid. The heat had reduced it halfway even inside the closed bottle. It was not refreshing to drink that hot water but he drank it anyway.

After that he looked around, only to check if his vision was not doubled, when his eyes fell on the robot that was still behind them. So far it didn´t do anything, but no one said that it would stay that way. The next thing he noticed was the open door in one of the legs. The one Susan had come out of.

„Hey." he said, tapping Cooper´s shoulder to make him look around. He showed him what he had seen and the other man understood his drift at once. He gave him a nod and together they went over to the robot.

Up in her robot, Gallaxhessa was still overcoming the shock of what she had just witnessed. She raised a hand to her face and took a deep breath. Eventually she smiled confidently at the screen which still showed her a very stunned Link.

„Looks as if you were wrong." she said with a quiet but steady voice. „Its _not_ over yet."

Instead of giving a response, Link´s eyes suddenly jumped from her to a spot somewhere behind her and then the sound of cocking guns came up. Gallaxhessa flinched and swirled around, staring wide eyed at the two soldiers who had suddenly appeared in her robot.

„Sowry, lady." Tucker said. „But its aaal over now."

...

Susan bowed down and turned the unconscious Jessy around. She removed the wet strands of hair that was sticking in her face and felt first her forehead and then her pulse.

„She´s all right." she told Alisha who was still sitting on the ground on the other side of the crack. With her wounded leg she hadn´t been able to stand up not to mention jumping over the crack. But Susan had. And now that she knew Jessy was still alive, she turned around and looked down the street where the hostages had been, before all of this had started. It was almost as hidden beyond the fog as their own street had been before.

She hurried ahead but had to slow down soon, so she wouldn´t fall over something. There were fragments of any sort of things lying around everywhere. Stones, metal, wheels from exploded cars, branches from the trees and even some heaps from which she hoped they had been aliens. Unbelievable that a young girl that looked so innocent when she was unconscious had done all this, Susan thought.

The fire was out on most places now. The crack had ran along this street as well and the water had put out not only the fire inside of Jessy´s mind but also the one she had started. Behind some of the windows there were still flickering lights where it hadn´t been put out completely and even some of the smothered trees were still glowing. Susan could hear voices calling. One of them she believed to recognize as Stanton´s. But she couldn´t see him yet. She could see some of the soldiers running around with fire extinguishers, they had managed to get somewhere, probably in the buildings. They were blowing white dust onto the fires that were still burning to put them out for good.

„We need first aid over here." Stanton yelled. Now she was sure it was him. She followed the man that hurried to get where they were and found them gathered around one soldier that lay on the ground.

„Its all right, Dean." Stanton talked to him. „Its just the leg. Stay calm."

„Damn that hurts." his friend replied through gritted teeth.

„Let me see him." the guy with the first aid kit said and knelt beside him.

Stanton stood up and when he turned his head, he spotted Susan. She went over to him and he came to meet her in the middle. Lacking a better greeting, she took the grenade out of her pocket he had given her earlier and handed it back to him.

„Turned out if wasn´t needed." she said with a tiny smile.

He looked down on the grenade for a moment. „I´m glad." he then said.

„Me too." she replied.

„What happened?" he asked her.

„That´s a long story." she said. „What about the hostages?"

Stanton looked around for a moment. „Some have burnings and one has a concussion." he told her. „But as unbelievable as it is, we all are still alive."

„Thanks god." she said.

„Did you see Tucker?" he then asked. „And Simmons? They were supposte to meet you."

She had to think for a moment but then she knew what he meant. „Oh, yeah." she said. „I met them. They are all right. They are back there." she turned around to point into said direction with a nod but instead of turning back around, she locked her eyes on someone she had just spotted on the other side of the street. Monger was standing there with Bryce and some other people she couldn´t quiet see through all the smoke and steam. But who these other guys were was not the important thing anyway.

„Please excuse me for a moment." she said and then walked away from Stanton.

Just a moment before she reached the little group, she saw Monger hugging the old woman, who had led the group of civilians. Amy was with them too and they were laughing. Both women had a blue layer of slime all over them. Mother Harriette had tears on her cheeks and she was clinging to Monger as if she was a little kid. Susan threw an asking look at Bryce but the Admiral just smiled at her. Finally Monger looked up and spotted her too.

„Susan." he cried and unwillingly he released the old woman.

„I´m glad you all are all right." she said.

Monger had the widest smile on his face she had ever seen at him. „I knew you´d get us out." he said proudly.

Susan smiled back even though her smile was still reluctant and confused. He seemed to notice and threw a quick look at the old woman.

„I guess its time you meet my family." he said and lay a hand on mother Harriette´s shoulder, who was glowing with happiness. „Susan." he said. „That´s my kid sister Harry and my grand niece Amy. Both of them very brave offsprings of the Monger family."

„Oh, Randy." mother Harriette cried and wiped some tears away before she hugged him again.

Susan raised her brows at this. „Randy?" she asked confused but Monger was already busy hugging his sister again, who was now crying tears of happiness on his shoulder. So it was Bryce who gave Susan an explanation for that riddle.

„His middle name is Randolph." he said and shrugged as if to say: Not my fault.

* * *

**And now just one more little thing that is called Epilog. Please turn the page.**


	48. Chapter 48 Epilog

**Epilog**

General Monger sat behind his desk and leaned back in his chair. He had a file in front of him and was reading the last reports he had gotten over and over again. He didn´t needed though. By now he knew them by heart. It was just that he was still not completely able to believe all the things that had happened and that were now a part of his duty and his life.

Gallaxhessa and her clones, that had survived the fights, (altogether there were one hundred and seven of them left) had been captured and were in holding now. Soon they would be transfered to the place where they would stay until further notice. What meant indefinitely.

The charges against the Missing Link for cooperating with the enemy had been moderated because of mitigating circumstances. His only punishment would be that he had to take care of the prisoners from now on. What meant he would go where they would go. As their warden so to say. Said place could be called a convict colony but Monger preferred the term rehabilitation center. It would be a scientific base anyway. What was connected with another point on the list of many changes.

After realizing that there were fourteen oversized frogs in the woods around Quantico (plus one alien crocodile-like creature), the pentagon had been forced to find a place for them and their mother to live. Obviously Area 52 was no option. It might be big but there was no way that they could contain that many creatures that size. So they had found the next best solution. Plum Island was a nice little place in the Pacific Ocean. It had enough space and even a big lake for them to swim in. The salt water of the ocean which those frogs seemed to avoid made even fences unnecessary. The army was already in the process of building up a scientific base there, where biologists and behavioral experts would be able to study the frogs.

The captured aliens would be appointed to take care of all the work that would come up along these studies and of course along the harboring of the frogs. They would be the caretakers of that island so to say. Gallaxhessa would be there too but according to her status as their leader, her function had been defined as their supervisor. Still not more than a prisoner who was allowed to do some work to prove her good behavior but better than a stone pit. Link had made sure that she wouldn´t be treated like a drudge and he would see that it would stay that way, Monger was sure about that. That fish-man had the potential to be a good warden. Monger had noticed that he saw his task not necessarily as a punishment.

The girl, Jessy, that had set the city on fire, had been a much harder case. She had refused any kind of cooperation first. Her mistrust against the government and the army in general was understandable, considering what she had been through earlier in her life. But the bond Lieutenant Simmons had been able to build up with the girl, had eventually led to an understanding between Jessy and the authorities. She had agreed to the researches on her and her abilities, which would be done in Massachusetts at the M.I.T. Dr. Cockroach had volunteered to lead those researches. The government had wanted Jessy to live in a watched area but she had refused. She said if they would try to lock her away she would refuse any kind of cooperation. So they had agreed to let her rent her own appartement in the city.

The brainusers in Washington hadn´t been too crazy about that idea but in the end they hadn´t have any other choice. They were watching her of course but Monger was sure, Jessy knew that better than anybody. The guys that sat in the cars on the other side of the street or on a bench with a newspaper in their hand or in the café at the next table might not notice it, but of course she was aware of them all the time. She didn´t seem to mind them though. So far she never missed an appointment to one of Dr. Cockroach´s tests. Monger had visited them once and to him it seemed to go well. Jessy was a sweet kid and the way she got along with the Doc and the old professor at the M.I.T. he wouldn´t be surprised if she would turn out to be a laboratory assistent in the near future.

The students that had helped to defeat the aliens that had overtaken their university, had been commended by the president and as far as Monger was informed, some of them had even decided to join the military after their study.

Butterflyosaurus had recovered from his injuries and so had B.O.B. After the fire he had been liquid for a while. The heat had melted him but after a while he had regained his usual form and was back to his old self. So far the Link and the aliens were contained here in Area 52 but the appointment for their transfer to Plum Island was set for next week. After they were gone B.O.B. and Butterflyosaurus would be the only monsters who would live in this facility constantly. The Doc had taken his residence in Massachusetts of course and with him there and the Link in the Pacific, this facility would be a little less loud now. Of course the M.O.-1 did still exist. If there should be any kind of trouble with new mutations, they would be called in. But except for visits on free days this would be it.

Monger sighed, a little sad about that part of the development things had taken. It was the best they all could have hoped for but changes like that were never nice. Especially after he had gotten so used to all of them being around for so many years. Good that there were telephones, he thought to himself and had to chuckle.

Somebody knocked on his door.

„Come in." he cried.

The door was opened and Susan peeked in. „Are you ready?" she asked him. „The chopper is waiting. And so are my parents."

„Right there." he said, closed the file and lay it on top of the heap that was on his desk.

Reports over reports. But they would have to wait. All those things were talking about things that had happened in the past. Even though it was a past that had happened only a few weeks ago but past nevertheless. Nothing that burned any longer. He stood up and straighted his uniform. The past was not his concern any longer. At least it wouldn´t be over this weekend. He had met his sister again and there were a lot of things they would have to talk about. Same applied for Susan´s family where they all would meet in exactly five hours and ten minutes from now – depending on traffic conditions. He couldn´t remember the last time when he had been so excited about a free weekend. Must have been years ago.

He went over to Susan and when they were outside, he locked the door to his office. All the reports and other duty would stay there until they came back. The past didn´t run away. What was more important now was the future.

**The End**

* * *

**Well, that´s it. It was a long way but finally it ends. For all of you who stayed with me that long I say one last time: **

**Thanks for reading. **

**The title for this last chapter was inspired by the long ago and almost forgotten TV show „Twin Peaks" and if any of you might be curious enough to check it out, I feel that my mission is accomplished. The same goes for Jessy who was a loving reference to Charlie McGee from Stephen King´s „Firestarter". That´s the way I pictured her as a teen. If you are interested in Jessy´s (Charlie´s) background story, you might want to read that book. Or for the impatient, watch the movie (don´t even bother with the so called sequel they made, that is just crap, be smart and stick with the original ;-)**

**Okay so much for the cross promotion on my part.**

**When I look back I can´t believe that it was almost a year ago since I posted the first chapter and if it hadn´t been for you guys, I would have ended this story long ago. That means of course my two girls Suewe and Claws who were with me from the beginning. But also all the others Joy, I´llBe, IJ, Bearybeary and also everybody who might have read but for some reason decided not to review. This was your story guys. Couldn´t have done it without you. Because of you readers I kept writing it, stretching the plot again and again and I admit sometimes I was just stalling because I had no idea what I should let happen next ;) Fortunately no one ever flamed because of that. I´m glad you enjoyed it so much. I hope I ended this story on a satisfying place for everybody and that there are no open spots. Or at least not too many. I also would love to say that there is a chance for a sequel one day but to be honest with you, I doubt that. It was nice until it lasted but all good things have to end one day and I guess we all knew that it couldn´t go on forever. **

**Maybe the one or the other of you will remember me once in a while later in your life and that once there was this story that used to provide you with a chapter every week. I´d like to think that. Things are forgotten far too easy these days. Stories shouldn´t.**

**I know that was a little more than I usually say at the end of a chapter but since this is the last time, I believe you´ll forgive me. So let me end here with a little song that I dedicate to what I just said before and I hope it doesn´t sound too egocentric. Its from „The Phantom of the Opera" and I believe it fits relatively good. Here we go. **

**Christine. Your audience:**

„**Think of me, think of me fondly,  
when we've said goodbye.  
Remember me once in a while -  
please promise me you'll try.  
When you find that, once again, you long  
to take your heart back and be free -  
if you ever find a moment,  
spare a thought for me**

**We never said our love was evergreen,**  
**or as unchanging as the sea -**  
**but if you can still remember**  
**stop and think of me . . .**

**Think of all the things**  
**we've shared and seen -**  
**don't think about the things**  
**that might have been.**

**Think of me, think of me waking,**  
**silent and resigned.**  
**Imagine me, trying too hard**  
**to put you from my mind.**  
**Recall those days**  
**look back on all those times,**  
**think of the things we'll never do -**  
**there will never be a day,**  
**when I won't think of you . . .**

**RAOUL:**  
**Can it be? Can it be Christine?**  
**Bravo!**  
**Long ago, it seems so long ago**  
**How young and innocent we were.**  
**She may not remember me,**  
**but I remember her...**

**CHRISTINE**  
**Flowers fade,**  
**The fruits of summer fade,**  
**They have their seasons, so do we**  
**but please promise me, that sometimes**  
**you will think of me!"**

**(APPLAUSE!)**

**Thanks again to all of you. You were a great audience. Leave a last comment if you like. It´d make me happy.**

**Nothing more from me. I´m signing off for the very last time. Nur out. ..… *static***


End file.
